August 11, 2026 | Plant Disease |
This study conducted by the Chinese Academy of Tropical Agricultural Sciences, China investigated Fusarium species associated with foliar diseases of durian (Durio zibethinus) in Hainan. Durian is an economically important tropical fruit originating from Southeast Asia, and its cultivation has recently expanded in Hainan. As leaf diseases were frequently observed in local orchards, identifying their causal pathogens is important for disease monitoring and management in this emerging production region.
Field surveys were conducted in durian orchards across Hainan from October 2023 to October 2024. Fungal isolates associated with diseased leaves were identified using multilocus phylogenetic analyses based on three genetic markers. Six Fusarium species were identified: F. pernambucanum, F. sulawesiense, F. hainanense, F. irregulare, F. mangiferae, and F. concentricum.
Pathogenicity tests confirmed that all six species could cause disease symptoms on durian leaves. Five species were pathogenic to both wounded and unwounded detached leaves, while F. irregulare produced visible symptoms only on wounded leaves. The study provides the first worldwide report of these Fusarium species causing durian leaf disease and expands current knowledge of the pathogen diversity affecting durian.
