Author(s): Abdul Hamid Wani, Mehrun Nisa, Mohd Yaqub Bhat and Zaffar Bashir

Abstract: Kashmiri walnuts are better than most of the nuts because of the amazing benefits. They are rich in antioxidants, high in protein, helpful in inflammatory diseases, promotes gut health, have high fibre contents, improves immunity, good for skin and what not. However, the major factors that contribute quality losses of these walnuts are post-harvest diseases. Fungal pathogens can damage fruit and reduce its antioxidant content, other nutritional values and in addition limits the storage period and marketing life. So, the present work is designed to study intensively, the fungi associated with dry fruits of walnut that are causing rotting or decaying. Present study was undertaken to isolate and identify fungal pathogens associated with dry fruits of walnut and our results indicate that many pathogens are responsible for decaying of dried walnut fruits. The isolated fungal strains were identified by pure microbiological methods viz. cultural and microscopic characteristics. The fungal species that were isolated and identified are Fusarium solani (Mart) Sacc, Penicillium citrinum Thom, Cladosporium herbarum (Pers.) Link and Fusarium oxysporum (Schl.) emend. Snyder & Hansen.

DOI: 10.33545/26174693.2024.v8.i2g.629