Diseases

Fusarium wilt and blight

Fusarium

Fusarium is a group of infectious plant diseases caused by fungi of the Fusarium genus, affecting all plant organs and leading to yield reduction and the accumulation of toxins in produce.

Mentioned in descriptions 29 887 varieties reference book.

Fusarium manifests as infection of roots, stems, and spikes. Key symptoms include pink or orange-red mycelium, premature bleaching of glumes, shriveled grain, browning and destruction of the root system, as well as wilting and thinning of crops.

Disease development depends on the presence of inoculum in the soil or on plant debris, as well as on weather conditions. High humidity and temperatures above 20-25 °C during the flowering period provoke spike infection, while stress conditions, such as drought or waterlogging, facilitate the progression of root rots.

Resistance of varieties is quantitative in nature and depends on a complex of morphological features, including plant height and maturity group, as well as physiological and biochemical properties, such as enzyme activity, presence of phytoalexins, and the ability to detoxify mycotoxins.

Resistance assessment in variety trials is carried out through field observations under natural conditions, inoculation of plants on an artificial infection background, laboratory analyses for fungal DNA and mycotoxin content, and seed health testing.

Sources10

Breakdown by crop

Tomato Fusarium wilt 2 983 Fusarium Head Blight of Soft Wheat 993 Fusarium Ear Rot of Maize 852 Fusarium wilt of lettuce 671 Fusarium Wilt of Melon 649 Fusarium Wilt of Cabbage 456 Fusarium Wilt of Watermelon 347 Fusarium Wilt of Pea 300 Fusarium ear and stalk rot of maize 295 Fusarium head blight — Durum wheat 137 Fusarium head blight of triticale 130 Tomato Fusarium wilt 118 Fusarium Wilt of Onion 111 Fusarium Wilt of Onion 96 Fusarium wilt of tomato (interspecific hybrids) 87 Fusarium Wilt of Flax 86 Potato Fusarium Wilt 79 Fusarium Wilt of Sugar Beet 58 Fusarium Wilt of Carnation 57 Fusarium Wilt of Pepper 44 Fusarium head blight of barley 44 Fusarium Wilt of Alfalfa 42 Fusarium Wilt of Red Cabbage 35 Fusarium wilt of perennial ryegrass 33

Found in these crops

Tomato 3 024 Bread wheat 1 009 Maize 896 Lettuce 689 Melon 670 White cabbage 459 Watermelon 349 Pea 312 Maize 303 Durum wheat 141 Triticale 130 Tomato 119

Varieties that feature this in their description

Selection based on the description text, not official resistance ratings: such data is not available in registers. Mention indicates that the trait is discussed in the variety's sources; see the variety's profile for details on what is specifically stated.