Fusarium sambucinum Fuckel causal agent of fruit rot of manzano chilli pepper (Capsicum pubescens) in Mexico

Abstract

Manzano pepper, like other fruits, is affected by postharvest pathogens that affect quality. In 2016, sunken lesions with whitish mycelium were observed in manzano pepper of samples from the Estado de Mexico. The objective was to identify the causal agent of the symptom described in fruits, by measurements of the morphological, molecular characterization, and pathogenicity tests. Pathogenicity tests were performed on wounded and unwounded fruits, as well as morphological and molecular characterization. The results indicate that the causal agent of the sinking symptoms was Fusarium sambucinum. The isolates were planted in PDA, Clavel-Agar, and SNA culture media, where they formed orange sporodochia, hyaline macroconidia with the papillated basal cell and the terminal cell in foot shape: 24.8-35.3 ?m long and 3.67-4.46 ?m wide, from three to five septa, this was confirmed by the sequencing analysis of the tef 1? gene (translation elongation factor 1?). The comparison between means (Tukey) detected significant differences in the method of inoculation but not between isolations on the fruit. This is the first report in Mexico of Fusarium sambucinum as the causal agent of sunken lesions with whitish mycelium in manzano peppers.