Fungal Diversity Associated with Leafspot Diseases of Some Horticultural Plants in The Botanical Garden, University of Lagos

Plants can be used for industrial, medicinal, nutritional, and aesthetic purposes. Leaf spot disease, which significantly lowers their horticultural yield, is mostly caused by fungal species. One way to mitigate this is to identify the causative agent or agents. This study aimed at isolating, identifying and characterizing pathogenic fungi associated with leaf spot diseases in some horticultural plants. Twenty horticultural plant species with leaf spot symptoms were obtained from the Botanical Garden, University of Lagos. Isolation was carried out using pour plate method and identification of fungi species was based on conventional and molecular methods. Results from this study revealed the presence of Colletotrichum gloeosporioides, species of Periconia, Rhizopus, Mucor, Macrophomina, Mycosphaerella and Sclerotinia as the causative agents. Further research on control and preventive measures is required in order to improve the health and yield of horticultural plant production and avoid a recurrence of similar incidents.