Morphological and molecular characterization of Cladosporium tenuissimum Cooke (Deuteromycotina: Hyphomycetes) on mango tree panicles: Symptoms, pathogenicity and severity of the fungus

Introduction. Mango producers of two important growing areas of the states of Guerrero and Michoacán, Mexico, reported extensive damage in mango trees caused by an abundant mycelial growth covering most diseased panicles of mango trees cv. Haden. Materials and methods. The fungus was isolated from panicles of mango. Pathogenicity was evaluated in the orchard by inoculating 20 inflorescences protected by cellophane paper bags. In vitro characterization was evaluated on monosporic cultures; conidial morphology and rate of growth were determined. A molecular characterization by DNA extraction was carried out to identify the microorganism. Results. Cladosporium tenuissimum caused necrosis of flowers, pedicels and small fruits on inoculated mango panicles cv. Haden in the long coast of Guerrero and Michoacan States of Mexico. The affected organs were covered with grey cottony mycelia and an olivaceous, green to grey sporulation. In vitro, young colonies were also olive green and velvety, turning dark green to grey with a whitish outer margin. The growth rate of colonies was 0.46 cm·day^-1. Conidia were subspherical, lime-shaped and fusiform, olivaceous in color with visible scars and denticle-like extensions. The mean size of conidia was (5.85 × 2.93) μm with variations of 3.2-23 μm × 1.98-5.47 μm. The molecular characteristics rendered C. tenuissimum after identification. Symptoms of inoculated or naturally infected tree organs were similar. A diagrammatic scale was developed for the evaluation of disease severity, which varied from 69% to 100% in infected panicles. The organs were susceptible from blooming to fruit set. Discussion. Further research is proposed to evaluate the geographical distribution of C. tenuissimum in the production areas of mango with the concomitant evaluations of strategies of control.