First report of Fusarium poae on tomato in Argentina

S. STENGLEIN; D. BARRETO; P. NICHOLSON; E. CHANDLER; V. BRAMBILLA; E. M. PIRIS; V. SALIVA; M. MITIDIERI; G.L. SALERNO

PLANT PATHOLOGY

The British Society for Plant Pathology

Lugar: UK; Año: 2009 vol. 58 p. 401 - 401

0032-0862

During the spring of 2003, blighted flowers were observed on many plants (approx. 20%) of a tomato (Solanum lycopersicum formerly Lycopersicon esculentum) crop in two glasshouses (approx. 300-400m2 each) in San Pedro, Buenos Aires, Argentina. Pedicels of flowers turned chlorotic and later became necrotic. Subsequently, the calyx and the petals turned brown, and the flowers shrivelled and generally abscised.To our knowledge, this is the first report of this fungus on tomato in Argentina. Fusarium poae is one of the main causal agents of fusarium head blight of wheat. The increasing isolation of this fungus in Argentinean cereals and the finding of F. poae infecting tomato could be of importance due to the close proximity of the two crops in some areas, as this may represent an alternative host. In addition, because of the potential for F. poae to produce trichothecene mycotoxins such as nivalenol, this is of significance as it may pose toxicological risks to consumers if tomato fruit become infected.