SYMPTOMATOLOGY, HOSTS, AND PATHOGENICITY OF Corynespora cassiicola

Abstract

Many diseases are affecting tomato fruits in the field and greenhouse. The objective of this work was to identify, to verify the symptomatology, pathogenicity and hosts of C. cassiicola causal agent of tomato fruit rot. Symptomatic tomato fruit were isolated in medium agar-water (AW). After 48 hours, the mycelia were replicated on potato-dextrose-agar (PDA) medium. The inoculation was used mycelia discs, for treatments with and without injury, in fruits of tomato, okra, bell pepper, eggplant, zucchini, and noni were present. Both treatments, confirming the aggressiveness and pathogenicity on the original host. Among the other hosts, pathogenicity was confirmed only in okra, bell pepper, and tomato, in treatments with injury only. The comparative analysis, with the descriptions of the species, allowed the identification of the isolate as C. cassiicola, as fungi causal agent of rot fruit by tomato.