Improved Methodologies to Inoculate Fusarium spp. in Coffea canephora

Area of Science:

• Plant Pathology
• Mycology
• Agricultural Science

Background:

• Stem canker of coffee (SCC) is a destructive disease caused by *Fusarium* species, leading to significant crop loss.
• Current lack of standardized inoculation methods hinders effective SCC management strategies.
• Accurate disease assessment is vital for developing resistant coffee varieties and control measures.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate and compare the efficacy of three distinct inoculation methods for inducing Stem Canker of Coffee (SCC).
• To identify the most efficient method for reliably assessing SCC development under laboratory and greenhouse conditions.
• To provide a foundation for standardized SCC assessment in future research and breeding programs.

Main Methods:

• Conidial Inoculation on Leaf Disks (CILD): Applied *Fusarium* spore suspension to coffee leaf disks.
• Mycelial Inoculation in Injured Stems (MIIS): Inserted *F. solani* mycelial plugs into wounded coffee seedling stems.
• Root Immersion Conidial Inoculation (RICI): Immersed cut coffee seedling roots in *F. solani* spore suspension.

Main Results:

• The Mycelial Inoculation in Injured Stems (MIIS) method was the most efficient in inducing SCC symptoms, including wilting, yellowing, and necrosis.
• Conidial Inoculation on Leaf Disks (CILD) was a time-saving method for initial assessments.
• Root Immersion Conidial Inoculation (RICI) was significantly slower, inducing symptoms only after 180 days.

Conclusions:

• The MIIS method is recommended for its efficiency in inducing SCC symptoms for research and screening purposes.
• Standardized inoculation techniques are essential for reproducible SCC research and the development of effective disease management strategies.
• Further research may optimize CILD and RICI methods for specific applications in SCC studies.