Endophytes fungi in mango Haden' orchards of Maracaibo plain, Venezuela.
Morales-Rondón V., Rodríguez-González M.
Author Affiliation: Instituto Nacional de Investigaciones Agrícolas (INIA), Maracaibo, Venezuela.
Revista de la Facultad de Agronomía, Universidad del Zulia 23 : 273-284
Abstract : The presence and distribution of endophytic fungi (asymptomatic) in four 'Haden' mango orchards, maintained under different agronomic cultural practices, in the Maracaibo Plain, Venezuela were evaluated. The fungi were isolated using triple sterilization specific method for endophytes. The following fungi were recorded in all orchards: Fusarium decemcellulare [Nectria rigidiuscula], Lasiodiplodia theobromae [Botryodiplodia theobromae], Colletotrichum gloeosporioides [Glomerella cingulata], Alternaria alternata, Phomopsis mangiferae, Pestalotiopsis sp. and Cladosporium sp. Most fungi were present in the vegetative and reproductive organs, except Phomopsis mangiferae and Pestalotiopsis sp. which were found in vegetative organs only. Conidia of L. theobromae and Cladosporium sp. were detected within anthers and in pollen grains. In general, the fungal distribution in the organs of the host plants was continuous and systematic, without any temporal colonization. These results indicate that endophytic colonization is important in the development of diseases in 'Haden' mango orchards in the Maracaibo Plain.