PREVALENCE AND AETIOLOGY OF PHYTOPHTHORA FRUIT AND STEM ROT OF SOLANACEOUS AND CUCURBITACEOUS CROPS IN THE PAMPAS REGION OF ARGENTINA

MÓNICA STECIOW; MARÍA JOSEFINA IRIBARREN; MAXIMILIANO NARDELLI; BEATRÍZ GONZALEZ

JOURNAL OF PLANT PATHOLOGY

EDIZIONI ETS

Lugar: Pisa; Año: 2019 vol. 1 p. 1 - 1

1125-4653

In Argentina, agriculture and horticulture industries accounts for 7% of the country?s employment. Moreover, this country is considered one of the major organic agriculture producers. Horticulture production is widespread all along the country, but Pampas Region is the most vital section because it provides the greatest economic wealth and houses 80% of the population of Argentina. The genus Phytophthora includes remarkably destructive pathogens to an extensive diversity of plant species, especially Solanaceous and Cucurbitaceous crops. Phytophthora diseases can affect roots, stems and fruits. Due to the increasing economic importance of this disease in Argentina, effective and feasible management strategies need to be established. The current study seeks to describe Phytophthora species associated to rots in Solanaceous and Cucurbitaceous crops in the North-east of Buenos Aires. Field symptoms comprised the aerial parts of the plants in association with the humid conditions that prevail in that region. Phytophthora capsici was determined as the main pathogen causing stem and fruit rot of globe squash, eggplant, tomato and pepper in this region. The prevalence was higher for globe squash compared to the other hosts and followed by eggplant; probably in association to the structure of the crop and the susceptibility of the commercial varieties used in the region. All P. capsici isolates obtained belonged to the A1 mating type and were sensitive to metalaxyl. The isolates of P. capsici tested were pathogenic to all the fruits inoculated, whichever was the host of origin.