Isolation and Characterization of Fungi Associated with Dry Rot of Potato Tubers in Minya Governorate

Mousa, Thanaa; Galal, Anwar; Farag, Farag Mohamed; Armanious, Hanaa Ayad; Abdel-latif, Marzouk Ragab

doi:10.21608/ejp.2025.380243.1139

Isolation and Characterization of Fungi Associated with Dry Rot of Potato Tubers in Minya Governorate

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

¹ Plant Pathology Department, Faculty of Agriculture, Minia University, Egypt

² Plant Pathology Research Institute, ARC, Giza, Egypt

10.21608/ejp.2025.380243.1139

Abstract

Potato is one of the world's most significant food crops. During storage and transportation, potato tuber dry rots result in substantial losses that reduce quality and marketable production. Tuber losses from dry rots during storage range from 6.35 to 25 % annually. Dry rots of potato tubers, Cara cv., were surveyed in four counties: Minya, Samalut, Abu Qurqas and Matay, belonging to Minya governorate. The disease was detected in all potato storages in the three counties under investigation. Minya county had the highest disease incidence and severity followed by Matay, however Abu Qurqas county had the lowest disease incidence and severity. Nine isolates (presented 75%) of Fusarium sp., and three (25%) of Alternaria sp. were isolated from naturally rotted tubers of Cara cv. collected from different potato stores. PCR identification of the most virulent isolates, Fusarium isolate No.F4 and isolate No.A10 of Alternaria confirmed that Fusarium isolates were Fusarium oxysporum (accession No. PV400667) whereas Alternaria isolate was Alternaria alternata (accession No. PV390825). All genotypes of potato under study were susceptible to infection with all the five isolates evaluated, showing different degrees of DI% and DS%. Cara genotype was the highest susceptible one, while Lady Rosetta was more resistant. At the same time, isolate (F3) of F. oxysporum induced the maximum DI and DS, while A10 isolate of A. alternata showed the least DI and DS% on Cara, Sifra and Sponta genotypes, whereas F4 isolate of F. oxysporum induced the lowest disease severity and incidence on Pran, Metro and Lady Rosetta genotypes. The ability of different isolates to infect tomato, pepper, eggplant, cotton, hibiscus, and okra differed according to the host under study. Except hibiscus, isolate F4 of F. oxysporum was able to infect all tested plants. Whereas isolate F3 infected tomato, pepper, and eggplant. While isolates F1 and F2 infected tomato only. Isolate A10 of A. alternate infected tomato and eggplant. Hibiscus plants showed more resistance to any of the tested isolates.

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