Morphological and pathogenic properties of Fusarium proliferatum isolates: The causal agent of garlic (Allium sativum L.): Rot in Serbia

Abstract

Current title: Ignjatov M. et al. Fusarium proliferatum causal agent of garlic rot Acknowledgements This study was supported by Ministry of Education, Science and Technological Development, Republic of Serbia (Project TR31030). Summary: During the past few years, symptoms of garlic clove rot have appeared in storage facilities at different localities in Serbia. Thirteen fungal isolates were isolated from samples of decayed garlic cloves (Allium sativum L.). Based on the colony and fungal morphology, isolated fungi were tentatively identified as F. proliferatum. Pathogenicity of 13 F. proliferatum strains were confirmed by inoculating garlic cloves of Allium sativum (spring cv. Labud, Sedef; winter cv. Bosut, Ranko) and Allium ampeloprasum (cv. Biser). Isolate JBL532 was classified as the most aggressive, while isolate B3 was the least pathogenic. To confirm morphological identification of 13 Fusarium isolates, amplification of TEF-1α gene was performed using polymerase chain reaction (PCR) with the primer pair: EF1 and EF2. All isolates were cryopreserved at-80°C and deposited in the NCBI GenBank.