Healthy soil - healthy plant: contaminated soil as a source of inoculum of Fusarium verticillioides (Sacc.) Nirenberg

Abstract

A wide occurrence of wilt and rot caused by Fusarium species has been observed in the last few years in many vegetable-growing areas in the Republic of Serbia. Symptoms of rot and wilt of celery, garlic, and onion were noticed and after determination, Fusarium spp. was identified as the main causal agent of the disease. Most of the Fusarium species that cause disease on vegetable crops (garlic, onion, celery) overwinter in soil debris and soil. This study was conducted to isolate and identify Fusarium from soil samples by conventional and molecular methods. Soil samples were taken under the diseased plant, and 25 samples were collected in order to perform isolation of Fusarium species that cause rot and wilt during production.