Trachysphaera fructigena . [Descriptions of Fungi and Bacteria

Abstract

Abstract A description is provided for Trachysphaera fructigena . Information is included on the disease caused by the organism, its transmission, geographical distribution, and hosts. HOSTS: On Theobroma cacao, Coffea liberica , banana. Also on Mimusops elenpi and M. commersonii (41: 358). DISEASES: Mealy pod of cacao, fruit rot of coffee and bananas. Fairly rapidly developing brown to black rot followed by the dense conidial masses on the surface, at first white, becoming pink to brown and covering most of the fruit. On cacao and coffee of minor importance, though heavy losses in the latter have been reported from the Ivory Coast (14: 153). Young fruit may be more susceptible (33: 757); can only infect wounded cacao pods and spread of the rot is quicker on ripe fruit (40: 33). The fungus is of greater importance on bananas, both on the fruit in the field and in the ripening rooms, causing a general wet rot. It is probably associated with other funeal invaders of banana fruit (34: 657). GEOGRAPHICAL DISTRIBUTION: Restricted to tropical west and central Africa (CMI Map 249, ed. 2, 1957). Reported from Malagasy Republic in 1960 (40: 405). It can occur in ripening rooms of countries importing bananas from Africa. TRANSMISSION: Conidia are presumably air dispersed, but spread by ants and snails has been suggested (8: 28).