EMERGENCE OF FUSARIUM SOLANI CAUSING ROOT ROT OF PISTACHIO TREES IN TUNISIA

This is the first report of Fusarium solani (Mart.) Sacc. causing root rot of Pistachio trees Pistacia vera L., in Tunisia.
It was isolated in the field and in the nursery from rotted roots Pistachio trees showing symptoms of wilting and die-back.
On disinfected roots pieces placed onto PDA culture, F. solani developed colonies after 3 days of incubation that were characterized by typical dirty-white, long and branched phialides, hyaline white microconidium droplets, and macroconidia with 3 septated.
Koch’s postulates were completed by dipping the roots of 2 years old pistachio trees in 10⁶ conidia per ml suspension of a single spore isolate of F. solani for one hour.
Plants were repotted (inoculated and controls) in a sterilized soil mix (soil/sand 2:1), covered with plastic film to maintain a high relative humidity and placed in controlled room at 25°C. Characteristic symptoms identical to the originally developed on the majority of inoculated plants within 3 weeks after inoculation.
Symptoms involved apex bending, leaves browning and drooping, wilting tip downwards, and finally, death of plants.
The fungus F. solani was reisolated from inoculated plants after wilting or death.
Root rot was clear in all infected plants when pulled-out for reisolation of the pathogen.

V International Symposium on Pistachios and Almonds

M.A. Triki, A. Rhouma , A.C. Chaabouni, R. Ioos

pistachio trees, Pistacia vera L., root rot

https://doi.org/10.17660/ActaHortic.2011.912.107