Abstract
The identity of the fungi responsible for fruitlet core rot (FCR) disease in pineapple has been the subject of investigation for some time. This study describes the diversity and toxigenic potential of fungal species causing FCR in La Reunion, an island in the Indian Ocean. One-hundred-and-fifty fungal isolates were obtained from infected and healthy fruitlets on Reunion Island and exclusively correspond to two genera of fungi: Fusarium and Talaromyces. The genus Fusarium made up 79% of the isolates, including 108 F. ananatum, 10 F. oxysporum, and one F. proliferatum. The genus Talaromyces accounted for 21% of the isolated fungi, which were all Talaromyces stollii. As the isolated fungal strains are potentially mycotoxigenic, identification and quantification of mycotoxins were carried out on naturally or artificially infected diseased fruits and under in vitro cultures of potential toxigenic isolates. Fumonisins B1 and B2 (FB1-FB2) and beauvericin (BEA) were found in infected fruitlets of pineapple and in the culture media of Fusarium species. Regarding the induction of mycotoxin in vitro, F. proliferatum produced 182 mg kg⁻1 of FB1 and F. oxysporum produced 192 mg kg⁻1 of BEA. These results provide a better understanding of the causal agents of FCR and their potential risk to pineapple consumers.
Highlights
Fruitlet core rot affects pineapple fruit until it becomes unfit for consumption
F. moniliforme), one of the two fungi historically associated with fruitlet core rot (FCR), is one of the producers of mycotoxins in cereals, especially fumonisins in wheat [29]
One-hundred-and-fifty fungal isolates were collected from pineapple fruits in Reunion Island and classified into in two genera based on their morphological comparison (Figure 1)
Summary
The earliest reference to investigations of fruitlet core rot (FCR) in pineapples dates back to 1898 in Australia [1]. Toxins 2020, 12, 339 core of the fruit remaining quite healthy”. This description agrees with the symptoms referred to as “black spot”. Link was isolated from blossom cups as well as infected fruitlets on the cultivar “Smooth Cayenne” [1]. Since this first description, numerous attempts have been made to identify the causal pathogens. Penicillium funiculosum belongs to the subgenus Biverticillium. With the recent adoption of the “one fungus, one name” concept, the Penicillium subgenus Biverticillium was transferred to Talaromyces. Penicillium funiculosum was renamed Talaromyces funiculosus [6,7]
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