FUNGI ASSOCIATED WITH SUDDEN DECLINE DISEASE OF DATE PALM (PHOENIX DACTYLIFERA L.) AND ITS INCIDENCE AT KHAIRPUR, PAKISTAN

Abstract

The date palm (Phoenix dactylifera L.) is considered as one of the most important horticultural crop of the world and holds a very significant position in the agricultural horizon of district Khairpur, Sindh, Pakistan.  The sudden decline disease of date palm is one of the major problems of the region and has destroyed hundreds of orchards in dispersed areas of district Khairpur that resulted in huge economic losses. The aim of the current study was to investigate the incidence of sudden decline disease of date palm and mortality by surveyed seventeen different locations of district Khairpur and the fungal pathogens associated to the disease were also explored. The sudden decline disease incidence greatly varied at different locations and ranged from 0.25% to 50.17%. Maximum disease incidence was at Noor pur followed by Baberloe and Ahmedpur. The minimum disease incidence was recorded at Nizamani followed by Noonari, Therhi and Shadi shaheed with 1.5%. Six fungi namely, Fusarium solani, Phoma ucladium, Helminthosporium sativum, Alternaria alternata, Aspergilus niger and Penicillium chrysogenium were isolated from different plant parts collected from affected date palm trees of various orchards of Khairpur, Pakistan. The study will help further to find out the control remedies of this devastating disease.