First Report of Maize Stalk Rot Disease Caused by Fusarium cerealis in Yunnan, China

Abstract

In a survey for maize stalk rot diseases, symptomatic maize plants were collected from 8 cities across the Yunnan province of China in 2015 to 2016. The diseases occurred on approximately 5% in surveyed fields. Fusarium cerealis (synonymous with F. crookwellense) was identified from 2 fields in Zhaotong city, Yunnan. Four different isolates of F. cerealis were recovered from surface-sterilized edges of discolored stalk pith tissues at the lesion region according to Shan’s method. (Shan et al. 2017). Morphological features were observed on potato dextrose agar (PDA) and carnation leaf agar (CLA) after 7 days of incubation in the dark at 25 ℃. Fungal colonies produced abundant aerial mycelium ranging from white to pale yellow to rose on PDA (Fig.1A). On the reverse side, deep rosy pigmentation penetrated into the agar (Fig.1B). Macroconidia produced from sporodochium on CLA were slightly curved, hyaline, usually 3 to 5 visible septa, with foot shaped basel cell, with curved apical cell and tapering graduall...