Abstract

MORENO-RICO, O. et al. Fungi associated with the decline of the manzanita (Arctostaphylos pungens HBK.) in the Sierra Fría from Aguascalientes state, Mexico. Polibotánica [online]. 2015, n.40, pp.59-77. ISSN 1405-2768.

Manzanita (Arctostaphylos pungens) is a shrub regularly found in Sierra Fría mountain Aguascalientes, Mexico. Like other wild plants, it is affected by biotic factors such as disease, which can cause anything from minor damage to death. The objectives of this work were: 1) To identify the fungi associated with decline of Manzanita in the Sierra Fría mountain of Aguascalientes and 2) To determine the incidence and severity of fungal diseases affecting the stems and branches of Manzanita. In each visited site a transect of variable dimension and random direction was set, which included 100 shrubs in order to analize and estimate: a) the percentage of healthy, sick and dead plants, and b) the incidence, severity and distribution of diseases. Pathogens were identified based on symptoms and signs as compared with those reported in literature. The most important diseases were caused by the basidiomycetes Inonotus aff. jamaicensis and Phellinus arctostaphyli, which cause white wood-rot and canker at the base of stems and branches. Inonotus aff. jamaicensis was found in 20 of the 21 sampled sites whit a varying incidence of 3-25 %, while P. arctostaphyli was found in 17 of the 21 sampled sites with a varying incidence of 1-25 %. The severity of cankers ranged from 2 to 44%. Leaf spot caused by Harknessia arctostaphyli, Coccomyces spp. and Passalora spp. were also identified. The presence of Phellinus arctostaphyli is reported for the first time in Aguascalientes. The presence of Inonotus aff. jamaicensis, Harknessia arctostaphyli, Coccomyces spp. and Passalora spp. is reported for the first time in Mexico.

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