Review of Fusarium species isolated in association with mango malformation in Australia

Abstract

Mango malformation (MMD) is an economically significant disease of mango growing regions and a notifiable disease in Australia. Following an incursion of the disease in the Northern Territory (NT) in 2007, numerous Fusarium species were isolated from mango samples during surveillance activities in growing regions within the country between 2007 and 2013, including reported MMD pathogens (Fusarium mangiferae, F. proliferatum and F. pseudocircinatum), established pathogens of other hosts (e.g. F. fujikuroi, F. oxysporum, F. parvisorum, F. solani and F. verticillioides) and several undescribed species. In this paper we review the status of all species of Fusarium isolated from mango tissue associated with putative malformation symptoms in Australia since 2007, documenting location origins and diagnostic methods and re-assessing their identification based on phylogenetic analysis of available DNA sequences. Their taxonomic affiliations and pathogenicity in particular are discussed with implications for disease management including quarantine, while knowledge gaps are highlighted.