Characterization of Three < em > Fusarium < /em > spp. Causing Wilt Disease of < em > Cannabis sativa < /em > L. in Korea

Mycobiology. 2023 Jun 9;51(3):186-194. doi: 10.1080/12298093.2023.2213911. eCollection 2023.ABSTRACTIn July 2021, wilting symptoms were observed in adult and seedling hemp (Cannabis sativa L. cv. Cherry Blossom) plants grown in a greenhouse. As the disease progressed, yellowing and wilting symptoms on the leaves developed, resulting in whole plant death. In seedling plants, typical damping-off symptoms were observed. To identify the pathogen, the roots of diseased plants were sampled, surface sterilized, and cultured on potato dextrose agar (PDA) media. From the culture, 4 different fungal isolates were recovered and purely cultured. Each fungal isolate showed distinct growth shapes and color development on malt extract agar, oatmeal agar, sabouraud dextrose agar, and PDA media. Microscopic observation and molecular identification using ribosomal DNA internal transcribed spacer sequencing identified them as 3 Fusarium spp. and 1 Thielaviopsis paradoxa. Additional sequencing of elongation factor 1-alpha and β-tubulin regions of 3 Fusarium spp. revealed that 2 of them are Fusarium solani, and the other one is Fusarium proliferatum. To examine which isolate can act as a causal agent of wilt disease of hemp, each isolate was tested for their pathogenicity. In the pathogenicity test, F. solani AMCF1 and AMCF2, and F. proliferatum AMCF3, but not T. paradoxa AMCF4, were able to cause wilting disease in hemp seedlings. Therefore, we report that F. solani AMCF1 and AMCF2, and F. prol...

Source: Mycobiology - June 26, 2023 Category: Biology Authors: Young Mo Koo S M Ahsan Hyong Woo Choi Source Type: research