Etiology of fungi causing postharvest crown rot of Robusta variety banana in Kerala
Keywords:
Crown rot, Lasiodiplodia sp. Postharvest rot, ColletotrichumAbstract
Crown rot of dehanded banana is the most important and prevalent postharvest disease of banana leading to heavy economic loss. Survey was conducted during March to May, 2018 in five banana growing districts of Kerala viz., Thiruvananthapuram, Alappuzha, Pathanamthitta, Palakkad and Wayanad to identify the major pathogen associated with crown rot of banana (var. Robusta) in Kerala. All the samples collected from the different locations of Kerala showed incidence of crown rot, indicating 100 per cent prevalence of crown rot in the state. Moreover, varying symptoms were noticed in the diseased fruit samples collected. This denoted the association of different pathogens in crown rot. Pathogens were isolated from the diseased samples collected from different locations surveyed. A total of 32 fungal isolates were obtained from the crown rot affected banana samples. The isolates were initially identified based on morphological characters including cultural as well as microscopic characters. Based on the observations, out of the 32 isolates obtained, there were ten Lasiodiplodia spp, eight Colletotrichum spp, five Fusarium spp, three Aspergillus spp, two each of Cunninghamella and Verticillium and one each of Penicillium and Rhizopus. Pathogenicity tests showed all the isolates to be pathogenic. Different pathogens produced different symptoms when inoculated separately on banana fruits. The pathogenicity test and subsequent virulence rating followed by molecular identification revealed Lasiodiplodia theobromae (GenBank accession number: MN046365) as the major as well as the virulent pathogen associated with the postharvest crown rot disease of Robusta variety banana in Kerala.Downloads
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
Copyright © 2001-11 Kerala Agricultural University. Some rights reserved. This journal and the individual contributions contained in it are protected under copyright by the Kerala Agricultural University and the following terms and conditions apply to their use; Photocopying Single photocopies of single articles may be made for personal use as allowed by national copyright laws. Permission of the publisher and payment of a fee is required for all other photocopying including multiple or systematic copying, copying for advertising or promotional purposes, resale, and all forms of document delivery. Permission may be sought directly from the Editor, Journal of Tropical Agriculture, Department of Agronomy, College of Horticulture,, Kerala Agricultural University, KAU PO, Thrissur 680 656, Kerala, India. (Phone: +91-487-2438325; Fax +91-487-2371040; E-mail: editor.jta@kau.in. Derivative works Subscribers may reproduce tables of contents or prepare lists of articles including abstracts for internal circulation within their institution. Permission of the Publisher is required for resale or distribution outside the institution. Permission of the Publisher is required for all other derivative works, including compilations and translations. Notice No responsibility is assumed by the Publisher for any injury and/or damage to persons or property as a matter of products, liability, negligence, or otherwise, or from any use of any methods, products, instructions or ideas contained in the material herein.