First report of alstroemeria wilt caused by Fusarium oxysporum in India

Abstract

Hybrids of Alstroemeria spp. (Alstroemeriaceae), commonly called Peruvian Lily, are an exotic, rhizomatous and perennial cut flower crop widely cultivated under protection in India. Nine hybrids (cvs Alladin, Amor, Capri, Cinderella, Pluto, Rosita, Serena, Tiara and No. 14) were procured from three locations in India by the Institute of Himalayan Bioresource Technology (IHBT) in [2000][2001]. During cultivation, plants of all cultivars exhibited leaf chlorosis and slight vein clearing on outer leaflets, followed by leaf yellowing and abscission, discolouration of stem vascular tissue and death.Fusarium oxysporum was consistently isolated when sections of discoloured stem vascular tissue were surface sterilised (2% sodium hypochlorite) and incubated on potato dextrose agar or carnation leaf agar. Single-spore isolates were identified based on morphological characters ). Conidiophores were unbranched or branched short monophialides. Microconidia were abundant, generally single celled, oval to kidney shaped and produced only in false heads 5-12 × 3-3·5 µ m. Macroconidia were abundant, slightly sickle-shaped and thin-walled, with an attenuated apical cell and a foot-shaped basal cell 35·0-60·0 × 3·0-5·0 µ m. Chlamydospores were single or in pairs and profusely distributed. The presence of chlamydospores and microconidia borne in false heads on short monophialides distinguished the fungus from closely related Fusarium species. The culture has been deposited in the Microbial Type Culture Collection (MTCC 7677)

Basal rot of Alstroemeria spp. caused by Fusarium oxysporum in Argentina

“…in Canada. More recently, fusarium wilt of alstroemeria has been reported from India (Shanmugam et al ., 2007). This is the first report of F. oxysporum causing basal rot of Alstroemeria spp.…”