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Phytophthora nicotianae and P. cryptogea causing gummosis of citrus crops in Tunisia

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Abstract

Surveys were conducted in 2013/2014 across seven Tunisian citrus production areas for the identification of pathogens associated with citrus gummosis. Samples were analyzed using PARP-BH selective media. Collected isolates were identified based on morphology and DNA sequences of the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region analysis. Ten isolates of P. nicotianae and five isolates of P. cryptogea were obtained. In vitro inoculation of five citrus varieties (Clementine Hernandina, Mandarins Tangerine, Blood Orange Maltese, Valencia Late and Thomson Navel) showed that P. nicotianae were pathogenic to cuttings twigs and P. cryptogea were pathogenic to leaves. In the case of P. nicotianae, the most susceptible variety was C. hernandina, while the most tolerant variety was M. tangerine. For P. cryptogea the most susceptible variety was C. Hernandina, while the most tolerant variety was V. late. In greenhouse assays, inoculation of trunks of C. Hernandina with P. nicotianae and P. cryptogea inocula induced the appearance of necrotic area and gum-exudation when inoculated with P. nicotianae. However, inoculation of rootstocks Sour orange with the same isolates induced root necrosis and leaf wilt. This is the first report of P. cryptogea causing gummosis in citrus orchards in Tunisia.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Département des Sciences Biologiques et de la Protection des Plantes, Institut Supérieur Agronomique de Chott Mariem, 4042, Sousse, Tunisie

    Naïma Boughalleb-M’hamdi & Najwa Benfradj

  2. Institute for Sustainable Plant Protection, National Research Council, Via Madonna del Piano 10, I-50019 Sesto Fiorentino, Firenze, Italy

    Duccio Migliorini, Nicola Luchi & Alberto Santini

Authors
  1. Naïma Boughalleb-M’hamdi
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  2. Najwa Benfradj
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  3. Duccio Migliorini
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  4. Nicola Luchi
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  5. Alberto Santini
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Correspondence to Naïma Boughalleb-M’hamdi.

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Section Editor: Adalberto C. Café-Filho

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Boughalleb-M’hamdi, N., Benfradj, N., Migliorini, D. et al. Phytophthora nicotianae and P. cryptogea causing gummosis of citrus crops in Tunisia. Trop. plant pathol. 43, 36–48 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40858-017-0180-2

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s40858-017-0180-2

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