Aetiology and causal agents of mango sudden decline disease in the Sultanate of Oman

• Published in: European journal of plant pathology Vol. 116; no. 4; pp. 247 - 254
• Main Authors: Al Adawi, A. O, Deadman, M. L, Al Rawahi, A. K, Al Maqbali, Y. M, Al Jahwari, A. A, Al Saadi, B. A, Al Amri, I. S, Wingfield, M. J
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Dordrecht Dordrecht : Kluwer Academic Publishers 01.12.2006; Springer; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: bark; bark beetles; Biological and medical sciences; Botryodiplodia theobromae; Ceratocystis; Ceratocystis fimbriata; Ceratocystis omanensis; decline; discoloration; disease incidence; disease surveillance; disease transmission; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; fungal diseases of plants; Fungal plant pathogens; Hypocryphalus mangiferae; insect vectors; Lasiodiplodia theobromae; Mangifera indica; mango sudden decline disease; mangoes; Phytopathology. Animal pests. Plant and forest protection; plant pathogenic fungi; plant vascular system; Scolytidae; tree trunk; Trees; vascular wilt; wilting; Oman; Asia; Plant pathology; Microbiology; Plant pathogen; Lasiodiplodia theobromae; Mangifera indica; Seedlings; Fungi; Plant; Dicotyledones; Ceratocystis fimbriata; Angiospermae; Ceratocystis omanensis; Isolate; Ascomycetes; Spermatophyta; Fruit tree; Fungi Imperfecti; Hypocryphalus mangiferae; Vector; Anacardiaceae; Thallophyta
• ISSN: 0929-1873; 1573-8469
• DOI: 10.1007/s10658-006-9056-x

Mango sudden decline is a recently introduced, economically serious disease in Oman. Affected mango trees have wilting symptoms that usually begin on one side and later spread to involve the entire tree. Trees exude amber-coloured gum from the bark of their trunks or branches and vascular tissues are discoloured. Having entered Oman in the recent past, survey data is presented that shows the disease to have spread throughout the northern part of the country. Evidence is presented that the vascular wilt pathogen Ceratocystis fimbriata causes mango sudden decline disease in Oman, possibly in concert with Lasiodiplodia theobromae and the recently described Ceratocystis omanensis. Isolates of these fungi from affected trees, cause infection and can be recovered from inoculated seedlings. Bark beetles (Hypocryphalus mangiferae) are shown to carry C. fimbriata and L. theobromae and are presumably responsible for transmitting both pathogens to healthy mango trees. Acting as a wounding agent and vector, the bark beetle is likely to have assisted the rapid spread of the disease across Oman.