Identification and Pathogenicity of Fusarium sensu lato species causing leaf spot and wilting of Banana in South of Iran

During the visit of some banana cultivation areas in 2021 and 2022, sampling of leaves and roots with symptoms of leaf spot and wilting was done in Sistan and Baluchistan, and Hormozgan provinces. After being transferred to the laboratory, twenty-eight isolates belonging to the genus Fusarium sensu lato were isolated from the infected samples.. The isolates were identified by carnation leaf agar and SNA under 12 hours of near UV light and 12 hours of darkness. The results of the morphological investigation and phylogenetic analysis based on Elongation factor 1-α (EF 1-α) gene region showed that isolates belonged to Fusarium oxysporum (12 isolates), Fusarium incarnatum (10 isolates), Neocosmospora sp. (7 isolates), and two unknown isolates of Fusarium. The pathogenicity test was conducted to compare the pathogenicity of the species on the Dwarf Cavendish banana variety. Pathogenicity test results showed the isolates could cause leaf spot (Fusarium sp. and Fusarium incarnatum) and wilting (Fusarium oxysporum, Fusarium incarnatum and Neocosmospora sp.) in banana plants under greenhouse conditions. Based on our knowledge, this is the first report of F. incarnatum and Neocosmospora sp. pathogenicity of banana in Iran.