Fusarium lateritium: A Pathogen of Spurred Anoda (Anoda cristata), Prickly Sida (Sida spinosa), and Velvetleaf (Abutilon theophrasti)

Abstract

An isolate ofFusarium lateritium(Nees) emend. Snyder and Hansen was associated with naturally occurring disease of spurred anoda [Anoda cristata(L.) Schlecht.] and prickly sida (Sida spinosaL.) plants. In greenhouse inoculation studies, theFusariumisolate was pathogenic to healthy spurred anoda and prickly sida plants. The disease symptoms were characterized by leaf, stem, and root lesions. The stem lesions enlarged with time and formed cankers that often girdled the stems and killed inoculated plants. In host-range studies, velvetleaf (Abutilon theophrastiMedic.), Venice mallow (Hibiscus trionumL.), okra [Abelmoschus esculentus(L.) Moench], and hollyhock [Althaea rosea(L.) Cav.] were also susceptible to the pathogen. This is the first report of these six species as hosts for this pathogen. Corn (Zea maysL.), cotton (Gossypium hirsutumL. andG. barbadenseL.), soybean [Glycine max(L.) Merr.], and 18 other representative crop and weed species in eight families were resistant to the pathogen.F. lateritiummay be a useful biological herbicide for susceptible malvaceous weeds.