Purohit, Jyotika , Verma, Avinash , Chattopadhayay, Anirudha , Tetarwal, M. L. , Patel, D. S.
2025-06-10 APPLIED FRUIT SCIENCE 2025 67(卷), 3(期), (null页)
Wilt is a devastating disease of pomegranate and gradually expands in different pomegranate growing areas, especially in semi-arid zones of North Gujarat. Thus, a roving survey was conducted during February-March, 2018, in the Palanpur, Dhanera, Deesa, Tharad, and Kankarej tehsils of Banaskantha district (Gujarat), and maximum disease incidence was noticed in Tharad (29.70%), followed by Deesa tehsil (26.64%), Dhanera (20.50%), and Palanpur (17.45%). The pomegranate plants with typical wilting and drying symptoms were collected from surveyed areas for isolation; three isolates (FS1, FS2 and FS3) of Fusarium spp. were obtained and their pathogenicity was proved. The isolates produced hyaline, single-celled or occasionally one-septate, round to oval microconidia measuring an average size of 16.0-17.0 x 3.5-3.6 mu m; were sickle-shaped, three-septate macroconidia with a slight blunt end measuring an average size of 35.0-37.0 x 3.6-3.7 mu m, and intercalary or terminal chlamydospores produced singly or in pairs. Based on their morphological characters, all three isolates were identified as Fusarium solani. The cultures were also sent to the National Center for Fungal Taxonomy, New Delhi, India, for morphological identification as F. solani with ID No. 6183.14-6185.14. In addition, the fungal identity was confirmed by sequencing the ribosomal DNA region, and the sequence was submitted in NCBI with accession numbers PQ200512 (isolate FS1) and PQ200623 (isolate FS2). Further phylogenetic analysis revealed their close relatedness with pomegranate root infecting F. solani reported from Pakistan. Thus, understanding the prevalence and distribution of F. solani causing pomegranate wilt is crucial for developing effective management strategies.