Microfungi Associated with Leaf Spot of Cocoa in Pahang, Malaysia

Authors

  • Nur Ain Izzati Mohd Zainudin Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Universiti Putra Malaysia, 43400 Serdang, Selangor, Malaysia
  • Muhamad Najmi Haikal Rosli Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Universiti Putra Malaysia, 43400 Serdang, Selangor, Malaysia
  • Wan Halimah As-Sa’adiah Wan Ahmad Kamal Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Universiti Putra Malaysia, 43400 Serdang, Selangor, Malaysia
  • Nuráin Azahar Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Universiti Putra Malaysia, 43400 Serdang, Selangor, Malaysia
  • Nor Aisyah Nordin Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Universiti Putra Malaysia, 43400 Serdang, Selangor, Malaysia
  • Suhaida Salleh Malaysian Cocoa Board, Cocoa Research and Development Centre, Jengka 23 Road, P.O. Box 34, 28000 Temerloh, Pahang, Malaysia
  • Mohd Termizi Yusof Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Biotechnology and Biomolecular Sciences, Universiti Putra Malaysia, Selangor, Malaysia
  • Zahlul Ikhsan Department of Agroecotechnology, Universitas Andalas, West Sumatera Province, Indonesia

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.25077/jrp.6.1.36-44.2025

Keywords:

Ascomycota, cocoa, internal transcribed spacer (ITS), molecular, pathogenic

Abstract

Crop diseases caused by fungal infections have significantly impacted cocoa production, leading to substantial economic losses due to ineffective disease management strategies. Leaf spot disease, in particular, threatens cocoa yield and quality, necessitating accurate identification of its causal agents for effective control measures. This study aimed to isolate, identify, and assess the pathogenicity of fungal species associated with cocoa leaf spot disease. A total of 45 microfungal isolates were obtained from infected cocoa leaves and identified to the genus level, including Aspergillus, Clonostachys, Colletotrichum, Curvularia, Diaporthe, Fusarium, Lasiodiplodia, and Nigrospora species. Pathogenicity tests revealed that 12 isolates induced lesions on cocoa leaves, confirming their pathogenic potential. Molecular identification using internal transcribed spacer (ITS) sequence analysis verified the species identity of the pathogenic isolates, with Lasiodiplodia theobromae (B3418) exhibiting the highest virulence, producing lesions of 3.17 ± 0.76 mm. These findings highlight the diverse pathogenic fungi associated with cocoa leaf spot disease. This study provides valuable insights into fungal pathogenicity and can contribute to the development of effective disease management strategies, which can reduce fungal infections and improving cocoa productivity.

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Published

2025-03-27

How to Cite

Mohd Zainudin, N. A. I., Rosli , M. N. H., Wan Ahmad Kamal, W. H. A.-S., Azahar, N., Nordin, N. A., Salleh, S., … Ikhsan, Z. (2025). Microfungi Associated with Leaf Spot of Cocoa in Pahang, Malaysia. Jurnal Riset Perkebunan, 6(1), 36–44. https://doi.org/10.25077/jrp.6.1.36-44.2025

Issue

Vol. 6 No. 1 (2025): Jurnal Riset Perkebunan (JRP)

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Articles

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Copyright (c) 2025 Nur Ain Izzati Mohd Zainudin, Muhamad Najmi Haikal Rosli , Wan Halimah As-Sa’adiah Wan Ahmad Kamal, Nuráin Azahar, Nor Aisyah Nordin, Suhaida Salleh, Mohd Termizi Yusof, Zahlul Ikhsan

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