FIRST REPORT OF Macrophomina pseudophaseolina ASSOCIATED WITH ROOT ROT IN APAXTLECO NATIVE CHILI (Capsicum annuum L.) AT GUERRERO, MEXICO

Abstract

Background. Chili is an important crop for Mexican culture. Objective. To identify the pathogen associated with the causal agent of root rot in a native chili pepper Apaxtleco in Guerrero, Mexico. Methodology. Root samples of diseased plants were taken from a chili plot in Apaxtla, Guerrero, and were taken to the Phytopathology Laboratory, at Colegio Superior Agropecuario del Estado de Guerrero (CSAEGRO), México. Subsequently, 1 cm root sections were made from healthy and diseased tissue, which were disinfected with 3% sodium hypochlorite for 1 min, and washed three times with sterile distilled water for 1 min, and dried with sterile absorbent paper, later, moistened sterilized paper was placed in the Petri dish and moistened with sterile distilled water and two slides were placed on it arranged in the shape of a cross and at each end of the slides and in the center of these, a piece of previously disinfected root was placed. The plates were kept at 28 °C ± 2 °C for 168 h. The purification of the pathogen was carried out using the hyphal tip and the identification was morpho-molecular. Results. The causal agent of root rot in Apaxtleco native chili plants was Macrophomina pseudophaseolina. Implications. Our result reveals the opportunity to improve the control of this pathogen at Guerrero, Mexico. Conclusion. M. pseudophaseolina causing root rot, in Apaxtleco native chili is reported for the first time.

Keywords

• patógeno
• raíz
• pudrición
• identificación