Phylogeny and Mycotoxin Profile of Pathogenic <i>Fusarium</i> Species Isolated from Sudden Decline Syndrome and Leaf Wilt Symptoms on Date Palms (<i>Phoenix dactylifera</i>) in Tunisia

oleh: Amal Rabaaoui, Chiara Dall’Asta, Laura Righetti, Antonia Susca, Antonio Francesco Logrieco, Ahmed Namsi, Radhouane Gdoura, Stefaan P. O. Werbrouck, Antonio Moretti, Mario Masiello

Format: Article
Diterbitkan: MDPI AG 2021-06-01

Deskripsi

In 2017–2018, extensive symptoms of sudden decline and fruit rot were observed on date palms in southern Tunisia. Samples of diseased plants were randomly collected in six localities. Based on morphological identification, <i>Fusarium</i> was the most frequent fungal genus detected. A sequencing of translation elongation factor, calmodulin, and second largest subunit of RNA polymerase II genes was used to identify 63 representative <i>Fusarium</i> strains at species level and investigate their phylogenetic relationships. The main species detected was <i>Fusarium proliferatum</i>, and at a much lesser extent, <i>Fusarium brachygibbosum</i>, <i>Fusarium caatingaense</i>, <i>Fusarium clavum</i>, <i>Fusarium incarnatum,</i> and <i>Fusarium solani</i>. Pathogenicity on the <i>Deglet Nour</i> variety plantlets and the capability to produce mycotoxins were also assessed. All <i>Fusarium</i> species were pathogenic complying Koch’s postulates. <i>Fusarium proliferatum</i> strains produced mainly fumonisins (FBs), beauvericin (BEA), and, to a lesser extent, enniatins (ENNs) and moniliformin (MON). All <i>F. brachygibbosum</i> strains produced low levels of BEA, diacetoxyscirpenol, and neosolaniol; two strains produced also T-2 toxin, and a single strain produced HT-2 toxin. <i>Fusarium caatingaense</i>, <i>F. clavum</i>, <i>F. incarnatum</i> produced only BEA. <i>Fusarium solani</i> strains produced MON, BEA, and ENNs. This work reports for the first time a comprehensive multidisciplinary study of <i>Fusarium</i> species on date palms, concerning both phytopathological and food safety issues.