Cultural and morphological variability in Phomopsis vexans (Sacc. & Syd.) harter causing fruit rot of brinjal

Brinjal (Solanum melongena L.) also known as eggplant is a popular vegetable crop grown worldwide. The most destructive and important disease on brinjal is fruit rot incited by the fungus, Phomopsis vexans (Sacc. & Syd.) Harter. The fruit rot adversely affects the fruit quality and quantity reducing the market value. A total of 20 isolates of P. vexans were obtained from Ri-Bhoi district of Meghalaya. All the isolates were found pathogenic to brinjal.