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Hosts

Fusarium solani is known to cause a variety of diseases on many different hosts. This summary focuses on the affects this pathogen has on papaya.

Distribution

Several Fusarium spp. have been reported to cause papaya fruit rot but Fusarium solani (Mart.) Sacc. is the most common and widespread species of Fusarium causing papaya fruit rot in Hawaii, India and the Philippines.

Symptoms

Lesions are small, up to 15 mm, depressed and usually covered by a combination of white mycelia and conidial masses. They can occur on the fruit surface as well as the stem-end.

Biology

In Mexico F. solani has been reported to cause a seedling collar rot. It is a weak pathogen requiring some kind of predisposing factor that stresses or injures the fruit before it becomes established. It is often seen as a secondary invader on lesions caused by other fungi such as anthracnose. Fusarium moniliforme J. Sheld. and F. equiseti (Corda) Sacc. have been reported from India as causing fruit rots. In Hawaii, Fusarium fruit rot is most common when rainy conditions prevail and all postharvest diseases are high.

The fungus is also known to cause a rot of young (3-5 cm long) papaya fruits especially during wet weather. The fungus enters the seed cavity through the blossom end where it quickly spreads within the fruit and causes the fruit to abort and fall from the tree.

Epidemiology

No Information.

Management

CHEMICAL CONTROL

Preventive field sprays and hot water dips are effective in controlling Fusarium fruit rot.

References

Hunter, J.E., and Buddenhagen I.W. 1972. Incidence, epidemiology and control of fruit diseases of papaya in Hawaii. Trop Agric. (Trinidad) 49:61-71.

Quimio, T.H. 1976. Pathogenicity and cultural characteristics of Fusarium solani from papaya. Kalikasan Philippine J. of Biol. 5:241-250.

Saldana, M.I., Marquez, M., and Ruiz, P. 1985. Identificacion de enfermedades fungosas del cultivo de la papaya (Carica papaya L.) en el estado de Tabasco. Revista Americana de Fitopatologia, 3:14-17.

Saxena, R.M., and Sharma, K.D. 1981. Deterioration of papaya fruits by fungi. Agricultural Science Digest--India. 1:140-142.

JANUARY 1993

3A-FUSOL

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