Fusarium spp. as a cause of crown and root rot of asparagus in Greece |
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Authors: | K ELENA L KRANIAS |
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Institution: | Benaki Phytopathological Institute, 145 61 Kifissia-Athens (Greece) |
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Abstract: | Specimens of diseased asparagus (108) were selected from 17 fields in northern Greece. The asparagus crowns showed limited or widespread brown discoloration or extensive internal rot with fibrous tissues. A red-brown discoloration was also observed on the roots and, in a serious infection, most of the roots were totally destroyed and only their epidermis and ribbon-like central axis remained. 68 strains of Fusarium proliferatum , 25 of F. oxysporum , 19 of F. solani , and 1 strain of Rhizoctonia solani were isolated from crowns and roots. Single-spore isolates were subcultured from 50 strains of F. proliferatum , 21 of F. oxysporum and 7 of F. solani. These isolates were evaluated for pathogenicity by inoculating cultivar UC157F1 of asparagus in an in vitro agar test-tube assay for 21 days at 29–32°C, with a light period of 16 h. Isolates of F. proliferatum and F. oxysporum were found to be the most pathogenic. The pathogenic F. oxysporum isolates were characterized as f.sp. asparagi. |
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