First report of Fusarium wilt caused by species of the <i>Fusarium solani</i> complex on sweet cherry in Henan province, China

Sweet cherry (Prunus avium) is an important fruit crop in China with a cultivation area of more than 13,000 km2 (Sun et al., 2017). In June 2020, wilt symptoms caused by unknown factors occurred on four-year-old sweet (cv. Gisela 5) 30% disease incidence orchard Nanyang Agricultural Vocational and Technical College (32°59´5˝N, 112°30´38˝E), Henan, China. Affected leaves were predominantly curved at first (Fig. 1a), withered under intense sunlight drought. The root surfaces dark black 1b). cross-sections affected roots brown the bark rotted 1c). segments rinsed water treated 75% (v/v) ethanol for 15 s, followed 4 min 0.1% HgCl2 then five times sterile distilled water. Internal diseased tissue pieces cut out sterilised knife placed onto potato dextrose agar (PDA) plates. Two isolates FS-1 FS-2 selected randomly from 14 Fusarium-like growing symptomatic tissues. produced off-white colonies 2) three types asexual spores, i.e. microconidia, macroconidia chlamydospores PDA after days incubation 28°C 3). Microconidia hyaline, oval or elliptical shape 0–1 septum measured 8.2 to 19.6 (12.7) μm × 3.2 5.3 (4.1) (n = 50) size. Macroconidia mostly crescent-shaped 2–5 (3) septa 26.4 41.1 (34.6) 3.8 6.4 (5.0) 50). Chlamydospores brown, round diameter 5.8-10.8 (8.0) 100), frequently born conidium between two hyphal cells. commonly prior chlamydospores. morphological features agreed those F. solani species complex that consisted multiple Fusarium spp. strains including members previously belonged (Matuo Snyder, 1973). Sequences rDNA-ITS (internal transcribed spacer), tef (translation elongation factor 1 α gene) β-tubulin gene amplified primers ITS1/ITS4, EF1-688F/EF1-1251R Bt2a/Bt2b, respectively (Keeling, 2003; Lu 2011). GenBank Accession Nos. MW276145 MW276147 rDNA-ITS, MW303522 MW303523 tef, MW303520 MW303521 FS-2, respectively, maximal sequence identity 99.82-100% strains. neighbour joining phylogenetic trees sequences, both clustered strains, clearly separating them other 4). For pathogenicity tests, grown days. Mycelial plugs (5 mm diameter) inoculated wounds made 10 cm above ground two-year-old healthy cv. 5 stalks 3 each isolate). sites wrapped plastic tape. controls 3), alone. After 30 24°C 65 % RH, plants showed similar observed naturally plants. control asymptomatic 5). cultures same phenotypic as inocula reisolated tissues plants, confirming causal agents disease. ventricosa (Chen al. 2016) oxysporum (Úrbez-Torres reported pathogens causing rot British Columbia, respectively. This report