Evaluation of mango cultivars for resistance to infection by Ceratocystis manginecans

Ceratocystis manginecans has been reported to cause a serious wilt disease of mango in Oman and Pakistan. To identify plants resistant to this disease, 30 mango cultivars were artificially inoculated with isolates of C. manginecans in three trials. Statistical analysis revealed significant differences (P < 0.0001) in lesion lengths among mango cultivars. Similarly, there were significant differences in the aggressiveness of the isolates used for inoculations. However, in trials where more than one isolate was used, there was no significant isolate x cultivar interaction suggesting that isolates do not affect the ranking of cultivars as susceptible or resistant. Cultivar 'Pairi' and local mango cultivars had the longest lesions and were ranked as highly susceptible. In contrast, cultivars 'Hindi Besennara', 'Sherokerzam', 'Mulgoa', 'Baneshan', 'Rose' and 'Alumpur Baneshan', had the smallest lesions and are considered as relatively resistant against C. manginecans. The inoculation results are concurrent with the incidence of wilt of these cultivars under field conditions.