Mango is prone to a number of diseases at all the stages of its development right from plant in the nursery to the fruit in storage or transit. In the post-harvest condition, it is susceptible to many fungal diseases like anthracnose, rhizopus rot, stem end rot, penicillum rot, black mould rot, mucor rot, phyllosticta rot, pestalotiopsis rot, macrophoma rot and powdery mildew, leading to heavy loss in yield. Among them, stem end rot (SER) stands out as one of the most commonly encountered postharvest diseases affecting mangoes in numerous countries. This study focused on the isolation, identification and characterization of the Lasiodiplodia theobromae causing stem end rot disease in mango fruits. Mango fruits exhibiting stem end rot symptoms were collected from various markets in the Navsari district and brought to the laboratory. Cultural and morphological characterization revealed that pathogen produce grey to black color colony with black pycnidia and thick walled and bi–celled dark brown color spores. The recorded dimensions of conidia ranged from 16.00 to 28.00μmin length and 12.00 to 16.00 μm in width. The fungal culture obtained from the respective disease symptoms was inoculated into healthy mango fruit by cork borer injury method. The inoculated fungi were produced similar symptoms and Koch’s postulate was proved by re–isolation the same fungi. Thus, the causal organism of stem end rot under present investigation confirmed as L. theobromae (Botryodiplodia theobromae). Therefore, addressing the challenges posed by Lasiodiplodia theobromae in causing post-harvest stem end rot is crucial for sustaining the economic viability of mango cultivation, ensuring high-quality fruit for consumers and facilitating smooth trade in the global market.

Mango, L. theobromae, Isolation, Identification, Characterization

In conclusion, this investigation confirmed that stem end rot infected fruits produced grey to black colour colony with black pycnidia and thick walled, bi–celled dark brown colour spores. The recorded dimensions of conidia ranged from 16.00 to 28.00μm in length and 12.00 to 16.00 μm in width. The fungal culture obtained from the respective disease symptoms was inoculated into healthy mango fruit by cork borer injury method. The inoculated fungi were produced similar symptoms and Koch’s postulate was proved by re–isolation the same fungi. Thus, the causal organism of stem end rot under present investigation confirmed as L. theobromae (B. theobromae). The outcomes of this study hold significant value for stakeholders in the agricultural sector. They provide essential information that can aid in the formulation of effective control strategies at the post-harvest stage. Such strategies aim to minimize losses and enhance the storage life of mangoes, contributing to the overall efficiency of the agricultural supply chain.

Rahul L. Joshi, C. G. Vahia, D. H. Tandel, H. A. Shekhada, Dipali D. Hirani and Susheel Singh (2023). Cultural and Morphological characterization of Lasiodiplodia theobromae causing Post-harvest Stem End Rot of Mango. Biological Forum – An International Journal, 15(11): 295-297.