Occurrence of Fusarium-produced naphthazarins in citrus trees and sensitivity of rootstocks to isomarticin in relation to citrus blight

Abstract

Fusarium solani, the causal fungus of root and crown rot of citrus, produces naphthazarin toxins that were shown to be toxic to citrus plants. It was found that citrus trees in South Africa had varying levels of naphthazarins in their xylem. Significantly higher concentrations of these toxins were detected in trees with blight symptoms than in symptomless trees. Citrus seedlings grown in hydroponic culture containing isomarticin showed inhibition of growth, shortening of roots and accumulation of zinc in the trunk wood. Zinc deficiency symptoms were also observed on certain rootstocks. A procedural ranking of rootstocks indicated that trees with observed tolerance to blight in the field generally had higher tolerance to isomarticin in hydroponic culture, whereas trees susceptible to blight were more sensitive to the toxin. These findings indicate that Fusarium-produced isomarticin is involved in the induction of some of the symptoms associated with citrus blight syndrome.