Response of fruit trees and ornamental plants to brown root rot disease by artificial inoculation with Phellinus noxius.
Ann P. J., Tsai J. N., Wang I. T., Hsien M. L.
Author Affiliation: Department of Plant Pathology, Taiwan Agricultural Research Institute, Wufeng, Taichung, Taiwan.
Plant Pathology Bulletin 8 : 61-66
Abstract : Brown root rot caused by Phellinus noxius is one of the most important root diseases of woody trees in Taiwan. Five isolates of P. noxius, with strong virulence, isolated from different host plants, were grown on a wheat-oat medium at 24°C for 1 month. The fungus-colonized medium were then mixed and used as inocula for artificial inoculation of the seedlings (or cuttings) of 101 varieties (92 species) of horticultural woody plants. Results showed that loquat (Eriobotrya japonica), sugar apple (Annona squamosa), Cordia dichotoma, passion fruit (Passiflora edulis), cocoa (Theobroma cacao), Arabian jasmine (Jasminum sambac), glossyshower senna (Cassia bicapsularis), poinsettia (Euphorbia pulcherrima), creeping sky flower (Duranta repens), Taiwan cherry (Prunus campanulata), Indian azalea (Rhododendron simsii), yellow oleander (Thevetia peruviana), and Tabebuia chrysantha, were highly susceptible to the pathogen. All of the inoculated seedlings of the 13 species above were killed within 6 months. In contrast, mango (Mangifera indica, Irwin/zai lai), citrus (Citrus reticulata (sunki), C. sinensis (liou-cheng), C. grandis (pomelo)), and blackboard tree (Alstonia scholaris) were highly resistant or tolerant.