Diseases

Fusarium Wilt of Broccoli

Brassica oleracea L. (Broccoli Group)

Fusarium wilt (yellows) of broccoli is a fungal disease caused by the soil-borne pathogen Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. conglutinans, characterized by leaf yellowing and browning of the vascular system.

In the reference 29 varieties crop Broccoli, where this is mentioned in the description.

The pathogen, the fungus Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. conglutinans, can persist in the soil as chlamydospores for many years. Within this specialized form, several races have been identified, including the most well-studied race 1 and race 2, as well as new isolates capable of overcoming plant resistance.

Key symptoms of the infection include unilateral yellowing of the leaves, subsequent wilting of the plant, and characteristic browning of the vascular bundles visible in stem cross-sections. The development of the pathogen is directly dependent on soil temperature: the infection progresses intensively at temperatures of 27°C and above, while the disease is virtually absent below 20°C.

Breeding broccoli for Fusarium resistance relies on the introgression of genes from related Brassica species. Historically, the 'Type A' monogenic dominant resistance, which is effective against the first race of the pathogen, is the best known. In the practice of assessing cultivar resistance, classification codes such as HR (highly resistant) or S (susceptible) are used.

General information about the subject — on the page Fusarium wilt and blight.

Sources8

Varieties of Broccoli mentioned in the description

Selection based on the description text, not on official evaluation: these data are absent from registers. For specific variety details, please refer to its profile.