Wilt root rot of lentils in North-Western Algeria
2000
Belabid, L. (Institut d'Agronomie, Mascara (Algerie). Phytopathologie) | Fortas, Z. | Dalli, D. | Khiare, M. | Amdjad, D.
The lentil, one of the most important pulses (after the chickpea), has a good potential as a crop for the dry areas in the north-western Algeria. Recent observations indicate an increased incidence of wilt and root rot associated with Fusarium sp. The present survey assesses the cause and intensity of wilt and root rot on lentils farmer in fields in the north-west of Algeria. Randomly-selected lentil fields were surveyed throughout the March-April-May growing seasons from 1994 to 1997 for the incidence and severity of fungal diseases. Symptoms of wilt, root rot and stem rot were observed during the reproductive periods at proportions varying from 1-66 % (mean: 9.9 %). Six pathogenic fungi were isolated from wilted (Fusarium oxysporum Schlecht.), root rot affected (F. solani and Rhizoctonia solani) and stem rot affected (Sclerotinia sp.) lentils. No F. oxysporum was found inside seeds from infected plants, indicated that seed transmission of the diseases is either via external contamination of the seed or via trash, such as infected stem, soil, which can carry high levels of the pathogen. Results of a pathogenicity test of F. oxysporum isolated from lentil stems showed vascular wilt symptoms with progressive drying of leaves and shoots from the apex downward. All isolates were pathogenic on the susceptible lentil ILL 4605, with different reactions according to the isolate tested. F. oxysporum is the main causal agent of lentil wilt in Algeria, with other fusaria like F. moniliforme and F. equiseti, being of minor importance
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