First report of Fusarium anthophilum causing drying on Butia odorata in Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil

Abstract

Abstract Butia spp. is a palm tree native to southern Brazil and Uruguay. The fruits are consumed fresh and used to make many food products, while the leaves are commonly used to make crafts. In January 2018, severe symptoms of wilt and drying were identified in clusters of Butia odorata occurring on the leaf and the rachis (in a proportion of 50% of leaf area). The pathogen was isolated from a stump extracted from a symptomatic tree. The morphologic characters showed a presence of macroconidia and microconidia with a classic salmon color of some species of the Fusarium genus. The molecular identification of the locus of actin (ACT), calmodulin (CAL), factor elongation 1-alpha (TEF1) and histone (HIS3), confirmed the identity of Fusarium anthophilum. This finding will help growers and agronomists prevent and manage this disease. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report of Fusarium antophilum causing disease in Butia odorata.