Epidemiology and survival of fusarium mangiferae, the causal agent of mango malformation disease

Mango malformation caused by the fungus Fusarium mangiferae is one of the major diseases of this crop worldwide. Conidia of the pathogen declined rapidly in soil under controlled (laboratory) and outdoor (winter and summer) conditions. Percent survival of conidia was reduced by nearly 100% after 102 and 28 days, under laboratory, winter and summer conditions, respectively, compared to initial concentrations. Natural infections were evaluated on fruitlets, fruit and seeds in a heavily infected orchard, one month after fruit set and at fruit maturity. In infected trees two months after fruit set, the skin of all the fruit was 100% infected while no infection of the seed and seed coat was detected. At fruit maturity, the skin remained 100% infected with no infection of the seed and seed coat. The pathogen was not isolated from healthy tissue or from flesh of both healthy and diseased fruit.