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First morphogenetic identification of the fungal pathogen Colletotrichum musae (Phyllachoraceae) from imported

K A Abd-Elsalam1, S Roshdy, O E Amin

  • 1Botany and Microbiology Department, King Saud University, College of Science, Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. kamel200@ksu.edu.sa

Genetics and Molecular Research : GMR
|December 4, 2010
PubMed

Insights

This study investigated Colletotrichum musae, the fungus causing banana anthracnose. Researchers found significant morphological and genetic homogeneity among isolates in Saudi Arabia, despite variations.

Area of Science:

  • Plant Pathology
  • Mycology
  • Agricultural Science

Background:

  • Colletotrichum musae causes anthracnose, leading to substantial post-harvest losses in bananas.
  • Understanding the pathogen's diversity is crucial for effective disease management.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To characterize morphological and genetic variations among Colletotrichum musae isolates from Saudi Arabia.
  • To assess the homogeneity of the C. musae population in the region.

Main Methods:

  • Isolation and culturing of C. musae from infected banana fruits.
  • Pathogenicity tests through artificial inoculation of banana fruits.
  • Molecular analysis using microsatellite-primed PCR (MP-PCR) for genetic fingerprinting.

Main Results:

  • Isolates exhibited characteristic fungal morphology with white mycelia and cinnamon conidial masses.
  • Artificial inoculation successfully induced anthracnose symptoms, including necrotic lesions and spore formation.
  • MP-PCR analysis revealed high homogeneity among isolates, with 83-100% intraspecific similarity, forming two main clusters.

Conclusions:

  • This study provides the first report on the morphological and genetic variation of C. musae in Saudi Arabia.
  • The observed homogeneity suggests a limited genetic diversity within the studied population.
  • Findings contribute to a better understanding of anthracnose epidemiology in the region.

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