Characterization and Pathogenicity of Fusarium Species Associated with Soybean Pods in Maize/Soybean Strip Intercropping
Muhammd Naeem,
Hongju Li,
Li Yan,
Muhammad Ali Raza,
Guoshu Gong,
Huabao Chen,
Chunping Yang,
Min Zhang,
Jing Shang,
Taiguo Liu,
Wanquan Chen,
Muhammad Faheem Abbas,
Gulshan Irshad,
Muhammed I. Khaskheli,
Wenyu Yang,
Xiaoli Chang
Affiliations
Muhammd Naeem
College of Agronomy, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu 611130, China
Hongju Li
College of Agronomy, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu 611130, China
Li Yan
College of Agronomy, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu 611130, China
Muhammad Ali Raza
College of Agronomy, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu 611130, China
Guoshu Gong
College of Agronomy, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu 611130, China
Huabao Chen
College of Agronomy, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu 611130, China
Chunping Yang
College of Agronomy, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu 611130, China
Min Zhang
College of Agronomy, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu 611130, China
Jing Shang
College of Agronomy, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu 611130, China
Taiguo Liu
State Key Laboratory for Biology of Plant Diseases and Insect Pests, Institute of Plant Protection, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100193, China
Wanquan Chen
State Key Laboratory for Biology of Plant Diseases and Insect Pests, Institute of Plant Protection, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100193, China
Muhammad Faheem Abbas
Department of Plant Pathology, PMAS Arid Agriculture University, Rawalpindi 46000, Pakistan
Gulshan Irshad
Department of Plant Pathology, PMAS Arid Agriculture University, Rawalpindi 46000, Pakistan
Muhammed I. Khaskheli
Department of Plant Protection, Faculty of Crop Protection, Sindh Agriculture University, Tandojam 70060, Pakistan
Wenyu Yang
College of Agronomy, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu 611130, China
Xiaoli Chang
College of Agronomy, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu 611130, China
Intercropping has been considered as a kind of a sustainable agricultural cropping system. In southwest China, maize/soybean strip intercropping has commonly been practised under local limited agricultural land resources. However, heavy rainfall in combination with high humidity and low temperatures cause severe pod and seed deterioration in the maturity and pre-harvesting stages of intercropped soybean. Numerous Fusarium species have been reported as the dominant pathogens of soybean root rot, seedling blight, as well as pod field mold in this area. However, the diversity and pathogenicity of Fusarium species on soybean pods remain unclear. In the current study, diseased soybean pods were collected during the cropping season of 2018 from five different intercropped soybean producing areas. A total of 83 Fusarium isolates were isolated and identified as F. fujikuroi, F. graminearum, F. proliferatum, and F. incarnatum-equiseti species complex based on morphological characteristics and phylogenetic analysis of the nucleotide sequence of EF1-α and RPB2 genes. Pathogenicity tests demonstrated that all Fusarium species were pathogenic to seeds of the intercropped soybean cultivar Nandou12. Fusarium fujikuroi had the maximum disease severity, with a significant reduction of seed germination rate, root length, and seed weight, followed by F. equiseti, F. graminearum, F. proliferatum, and F. incarnatum. Additionally, the diversity of Fusarium species on soybean pods was also considerably distinct according to the geographical origin and soybean varieties. Thus, the findings of the current study will be helpful for the management and resistance breeding of soybean pod decay in the maize/soybean intercropping system.
