Morphological and molecular characterization, enzyme production and pathogenesis of Fusarium temperatum on corn in Mexico

A Fusarium sp. from a corn field in Chapingo, Estado de Mexico, Mexico was identified and characterized by morphological and molecular approaches. Colony growth on Czapek's medium and potato dextrose agar and pigment formation was assessed. Microscopically, the isolate displayed typical hyaline septate mycelium with long-beaked macroconidia with one to six septa, with a curved apical cell and a foot-like basal cell. Molecular characterization was performed by PCR of the ITS1-5.8S rDNA-ITS2 region and a portion of the elongation factor 1 alpha (EF-1α) followed by sequencing. The isolate was identified as Fusarium temperatum, an important corn pathogen in Europe, Asia and South America. A phylogenetic analysis employing the EF-1α sequence showed the isolate grouped with several species of the Gibberella fujikuroi species complex. Additionally, the isolate produced pectinase, xylanase, cellulase and lipase in culture and at 15 days post-inoculation, was able to infect the roots of corn. To our knowledge, this is the first confirmed identification and characterization of a phytopathogenic F. temperatum isolate from Mexico.