ROLE OF FUSARIUM MANGIFERAE IN CAUSATION OF MANGO MALFORMATION DISEASE

Abstract

Determination of fungi associated with malformed tissues of mango was done on different local and exotic cultivars during the year 2000-2001. Five mango growing districts of the Punjab were selected for the study with three locations in each district. A total of 75 malformed samples and 750 tissues (10 tissues / sample) of 5 standard local cultivars and 1500 tissues of exotic cultivars were assayed. Fusarium mangiferae proved to be the dominant fungus with 100% sample’s infection in all the five districts. Maximum within tissue infection of 98% was observed in Okara and Sahiwal districts. Local variety Anwar rataul and exotic Tomy atkin appeared to be the most infected varieties giving 92.0 and 96.0% tissue infection, respectively.