Department of Plant Pathology, South Agricultural Research Institute, Areka Agricultural Research Center, Areka, Ethiopia
Research Article
Virulence Study of Phytophthora colocasiae Isolates Collected from Taro Growing Areas of Southern Ethiopia
Author(s): Zerhun Tomas*, Elfinesh Shikur and Alemar Said
Phytophthora colocasiae is the most destructive fungal pathogen of taro (Colocasia esculenta), which causes taro leaf
blight. Taro leaf bight symptoms differed among the same Taro cultivars grown under similar conditions. This raised
the question whether Phytophthora colocasiae isolates vary in their virulence or not. To give responses for the question
raised 27 taros growing farmers’ fields were surveyed during 2017 cropping season. Out of that 15 representative Phytophthora colocasiae isolates were isolated in the laboratory. Then virulence test of isolates were carried out by
using detached leaf disc method. All isolates were pathogenic to taro, with significantly different (P<0.01) lesion
diameter. The most virulent isolate was Sodo Zuria isolate, followed by isolates from Damot Gale and Boloso Sore
with mean lesion di.. View more»