First report of Xanthomonas citri pv. mangiferaeindicae causing mango bacterial canker on Mangifera indica in Ivory Coast.
Pruvost O., Boyer C., Grygiel P., Boyer K., Verniere C., Gagnevin L., Soro S., N'Guessan C., Kone D.
Author Affiliation: CIRAD-Université de la Réunion, UMR PVBMT, Saint Pierre, La Réunion, F-97410, France.
Plant Disease 98 :1740
Abstract : Xanthomonas citri pv. mangiferaeindicae [X. axonopodis pv. mangiferaeindicae] causing bacterial canker (or black spot) is a major mango pathogen in tropical and subtropical areas. The bacterium infects a wide range of mango cultivars, and induces raised, angular, black leaf lesions, sometimes with a yellow chlorotic halo. Fruit symptoms first appear as small water-soaked spots on the lenticels turning into star-shaped, erumpent lesions, which exude an infectious gum, yielding tear-stain patterns. Severe infections cause severe defoliation and/or premature fruit drop. Twig cankers are potential sources of inoculum and weaken branch resistance to winds. Drastic yield losses have been reported at grove scale for susceptible cultivars. Mango (cv. Kent) leaves showing typical angular, black, raised leaf lesions were first observed and collected in April 2014 from trees in five localities of the Korhogo province of Ivory Coast (i.e. the major commercial mango-growing area in this country). Based on nucleotide sequence analysis and pathogenicity test, the causal agent was confirmed as X. citri pv. mangiferaeindicae. This is thought to be the first report of the disease in Ivory Coast. This report further expands the distribution of the pathogen in West Africa after its first description from Ghana in 2011 and subsequently in other neighbouring countries.