Incidence and Distribution of Charcoal Rot Disease in Major Sunflower Growing Areas of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa

Background: Charcoal rot is one of the serious threats to sunflowers which causes complete crop loss under epidemic conditions. Aims: In the current study, incidence and severity of Macrophomina phaseolina (MP) associated with sunflower plantations in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (KP) Province of Pakistan was determined through extensive surveys. Methodology: For the current study seven districts including Peshawar, Charsadda, Nowshera, Swabi, Bannu, Mardan, and Lakki Marwat were selected and conducted in 2025. Five sites in each district and four fields within each site at a distance of 02 Km apart were surveyed. A zigzag path was followed while surveying each field. The location of each field was marked with Global Positioning System (GPS). Results: It has been observed that charcoal rot is present in all surveyed districts of KP province of Pakistan. Disease incidence, when compared across districts, showed that it was the highest in Southern districts (Bannu and Lakki Marwat) than the mid region districts (Swabi and Nowshera). The highest disease incidence was observed in district Bannu (54.7%) and district Lakki Marwat (45.1%). Converesly, the lowest disease incidence was recorded in district Swabi (9.3%). Similarly, disease severity when compared across districts, showed that it was the highest in Southern districts than the mid region districts. The highest severity of the disease was recorded in district Bannu (61.2%), while the lowest disease severity was observed in district Swabi (8.1%). Conclusion: Overall, Charcoal rot was found in all sunflower growing areas of KP surveyed during the studies. Disease incidence and severity were higher in southern (Bannu, Lakki Marwat) districts of the province than central districts.