Abstract

Experiments conducted on the role of pectinolytic and cellulolytic enzymes in pathogenesis of seedling blight of jute incited by Macrophomina phaseclina clearly demonstrated positive involvement of both these enzymes. Both these enzymes, were found to be produced by the pathogen constitutively in Czapek Dox medium and in- ductive response to enzyme production in the substrate in which pectin and carboxy- methyl cellulose were introduced was limited. Both these enzymes could be extracted from the infected and apparently healthy regions in close proximity to infected ones in different stages of disease development. Fourteen days old seedlings of jute kept in enzyme solution at 21°C for 48 hours showed distinct lesions in the cotyledonary region

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