TITLE:
First Report on Rhizome Rot Disease of Curcuma longa Caused by Fusarium solani in Bangladesh
AUTHORS:
Md. Sabbir Ahmmed, Fatema Akter Nisha, Nuhu Alam
KEYWORDS:
Turmeric, Fungal Disease, Molecular Identification, Culture Media, Temperature, pH
JOURNAL NAME:
American Journal of Plant Sciences,
Vol.13 No.4,
April
28,
2022
ABSTRACT: Turmeric (Curcuma
longa L.) is a valuable medicinal plant as well as spice crop in
Bangladesh. The rhizome rot disease is a severe danger to turmeric cultivation.
The current study sought to identify the fungal pathogen linked to turmeric
rhizome rot disease. Rhizome of turmeric with distinct rotted symptoms was
collected from the experimental site of the Botanical Garden, Jahangirnagar
University, Bangladesh. The sample was screened to isolate the causative fungal
pathogen through the tissue planting technique. Macro and micro-morphological
characterization based on colony appearance, mycelial and conidial
characteristics primarily identified the fungus as Fusarium sp. The ITS
sequence of rDNA of the fungus exhibited 99 to 100 percent similarity with the
other F. solani species formerly deposited in the NCBI database which
confirmed the fungal identity as F.
solani. An in vitro pathogenicity test validated the pathogenic nature of the fungus.
Growth behaviors of the fungus
were evaluated on different solid culture media viz., Potato dextrose agar, Potato sucrose agar, Sabouraud dextrose
agar and Hansen’s agar; temperature conditions (10?C, 15?C, 20?C, 25?C, 30?C
and 35?C) and pH levels (pH 4, pH 5, pH 6, pH 7 and pH 8). Maximum mycelial
growth was obtained on PSA medium at 30?C temperature and pH 7 conditions.
Current findings also conclude that F. solani favors a wide range of
temperature and pH levels. To the best of our search, the present investigation
revealed the relationship of F. solani with the rhizome rot disease of
turmeric for the first time in Bangladesh.