First report of Neofusicoccum mediterraneum causing stem end rot on Karuthakolumban mangoes.
Krishnapillai N., Wijeratnam R. S. W.
Author Affiliation: Department of Botany, University of Jaffna, Jaffna, Sri Lanka.
Plant Disease 99 :1858
Abstract : Mango (Mangifera indica) is a popular dessert fruit in Sri Lanka. Karuthakolumban mangoes grown in northern Sri Lanka are highly valued by consumers all over the country. However, postharvest losses of Karuthakolumban mangoes are high due to their susceptibility to stem-end rot pathogens. Mature green Karuthakolumban mangoes were harvested from a home garden in Jaffna (northern Sri Lanka) in April 2011 and held for ripening at ambient temperature (30±2°C). A brown, firm stem end decay was observed first and spread rapidly during ripening. Based on morphological characteristics, sequence analysis of the rDNA internal transcribed spacer region and pathogenicity tests, the causal agent was identified as N. mediterraneum. Subsequent observations in the following years (2012 and 2013) confirmed that this fungus is a causative organism of stem-end rot in Karuthakolumban mangoes. N. mediterraneum was described first on Eucalyptus from Greece, and subsequently reported in more than 19 hosts including various woody perennials with a known distribution including California, Iran, Italy, and Spain. N. mediterraneum was first isolated from mango, from tree twigs, in Iran. This is thought to be the first report of stem end rot caused by N. mediterraneum on mango fruit in Sri Lanka and worldwide.