Potential of fusarium mangiferae as an etiological agent of mango malformation

Taxonomy of the causal fungus of mango malformation (MM) disease has passed through different phases. The fungus at first named as F. moniliforme was elevated to species level as F. subglutinans. Two new species viz. Fusarium mangiferae and F. sterilihyphosum Britz. found responsible for causing MM have been characterized in South Africa in the year 2002. Presence of F. mangiferae in Asian clade emphasized the need to confirm the specific species in the mango orchards of Pakistan. The assay of malformed parts of mango varieties obtained from five districts of the Punjab province of Pakistan revealed the association of four fungi viz., F. mangiferae, F. pallidoroseum, F. equiseti and Alternaria alternata while F. mangiferae proved to be the major infecting fungus. The colonies of F. mangiferae were tinged with purple and rosy buff color on Potato dextrose agar (PDA) medium. Macroconidia were four celled with dorsal and ventral surfaces almost parallel. Maximum within tissue infection (40.53%) in five districts was caused by F. mangiferae. The present studies reveal the infectivity and dominant association of F. mangiferae with malformed tissues of diverse origins. (author)