Pathogenicity of fusarium anthophilum and fusarium fujikuroi associated with bakanae disease of rice: a landmark study undertaken in south africa

This article has been extracted from the PhD thesis of the principal author, who submitted the study to the University of South Africa in the year 2013. Pathogenicity of three representative isolates of each Fusarium anthophilum (MRC 5519, MRC 5520 and MRC 5806) and Fusarium fujikuroi (MRC 5807, MRC 5808 and MRC 5809) obtained from naturally infected rice plants in the fields with bakanae symptoms were tested. All isolates of both F. anthophilum and F. fujikuroi were able to cause bakanae symptoms on seedlings of four different rice cultivars and lines. This is the first report of the occurrence of bakanae disease of rice in South Africa and both F. anthophilum and F. fujikuroi are new records as pathogens of rice in South Africa. Fusarium anthophilum has not been reported before from any country in the world as a pathogen of rice (Oryza sativa) and as a causative fungus of bakanae disease.