INCIDENCE, ISOLATION AND IDENTIFICATION OF FUNGAL SPECIES ASSOCIATED WITH PASSION FRUITS (PASSIFLORA EDULIS) CULTIVATED IN THE DSCHANG PRODUCTION BASIN

Njimah Mfonmbouot D., Tientcheu -Nitcheu S. D., Ndonkou Nfozon J., Tamekou Lactmata S. and Fodong Djeugue C.

International Journal of Agriculture and Environmental Research, 2025, vol. 11, issue 4

Abstract: Species belonging to the Passifloraceae genus are faced with pre- and post-harvest losses in the Dschang production basin. Among the causes of these losses, fungal diseases play an important role due to lack of knowledge of the symptoms of these diseases and the fungal species associated with them. It is in this context that the present study was carried out with the aim of describing the symptoms, assessing the incidence of fungal diseases and isolating and identifying the various fungi associated with passion fruit grown in the Dschang production basin, with a view to considering an effective control method at a later date. To this end, five quadra were carried out at each production site. Each plant organ (leaves and fruit) present in each quadra was scrupulously observed for symptoms of the parasitic diseases present. Each time a symptom was observed, it was noted then name of the disease and the type of disease associated with the symptom identified. From the fungal disease symptoms observed, the incidence was determined by calculating the ratio of the number of contaminated plants per quadra to the total number of plants multiplied by one hundred. The results showed that passion fruits grown in the Dschang production basin are contaminated by several fungal diseases, as evidenced by yellowing and drying of leaves and fruits, wilting of leaves and stunting of fruits, fruits with brown spots and fruits with grey lesions. An inventory of the fungi associated with these symptoms revealed the presence of five fungal species: Fusarium spp causing fusariosis, Verticillum spp causing Verticillium wilt, Penicillium spp causing blue or green rot of fruits, Pythium spp causing root rot, fruits rot or melting of seedlings and passion fruit wilt and Aspergillus spp causing aspergillosis. The five species showed different frequencies of occurrence. Fusarium spp was the most frequent and had a cottony appearance with a white underside of the petri dish. Similarly, this species had the largest growth diameter in the PDA culture medium (8cm) compared with Pythium spp, which had a relatively small growth diameter (7.5cm). The incidence showed that although there were significant differences in the different organs of Passiflora edulis according to Duncan's 5% test, all the plants in the different quadras showed a fungal disease incidence rate of 100%. Now that the symptoms of passion fruit fungi are known, as well as the fungal species responsible for these symptoms, it will be wise to develop an effective control strategy against the various species isolated and identified in the near future.

Keywords: Crop Production/Industries; Research and Development/Tech Change/Emerging Technologies (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:ags:ijaeri:371457

DOI: 10.22004/ag.econ.371457

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