KRISHNA MURTHY, K.V.MMURALI KRISHNA, K2016-08-122016-08-122006http://krishikosh.egranth.ac.in/handle/1/72362Seeds of sesamum varieties, YLM-17 followed by Tanuku brown and Swetha til yielded the higher per cent incidence of the fungal species. Significant increase in the incidence of Aspergillus spp., Penicillium sp. and Rhizopus sp. and decrease in that of Alternaria, Curvularia, Sclerotium and Rhizoctonia species were observed. Fusarium sp. completely disappeared at the end of storage. Maximum reduction in seed germination was caused by the culture of Aspergillus niger and the culture filtrates of A. terreus. Culture of Curvularia sp. and culture filtrates of A. terreus resulted in maximum reduction in shoot length. The culture of A. niger and culture filtrate of Rhizoctonia sp. caused the maximum reduction in root length under laboratory conditions. In general, culture filtrates were more effective than the cultures of fungal species. It is observed that there was significant reduction in the protein content but a slight decrease in the oil content of the seed treated with different fungal species with increase in the incubation period. Regarding physico-chemical properties of oil a change in colour and odour of oil was observed. Significant increase in the free fatty acid content, saponification values and peroxide values was recorded in the oil from seed inoculated with different fungal species separately, irrespectively of incubation period. In general, iodine value decreased in respect of all fungal species except Rhizoctonia sp., but the decrease was not significant.esSTUDIES, SEED, MYCOFLORA, SESAMUMThesis