Caracterização morfológica e patogênica de isolados do complexo de espécies Fusarium solani associados à podridão radicular do feijão-caupi

Abstract

Cowpea (Vigna unguiculata) is an economically important crop to northeast region of Brazil and its cultivation is expanding to the mid-west region as an off-season crop. However, its production has been affected by soil-borne pathogens, such as Fusarium solani sensu lato, which has the potential to become important, as observed in soybean crop affected by the sudden death syndrome. In this context, the objective of this study was to characters isolates of F. solani associated to root rot in the São João municipality, an important cowpea producer in Pernambuco State. Thus, morphological characteres and two distinct pathogenicity trials were conducted to evaluate the virulence of the isolates. The isolates showed variation regarding colony color, mycelial growth and micromorphology, and were split into two morphogroups by the conidiophore branching pattern. The pathogenicity experiments confirmed the ability to colonize plant tissue and the higher virulence to isolates belonging to the morphogroup showing branched conidiophore.