IDENTIFICATION OF FUSARIUM OXYSPORUM AS STRAWBERRY WILT CAUSAL AGENT

Strawberry is one of the most famous berry fruits growing in the last several years in Serbia. The total production was approximately 23,000 t in 2023, indicating that is less than in the previous years. In 2024, it was enough soil moisture only for initial plant development. After that period, mandatory irrigation was applied, especially in intensive crops such as strawberries. The occurrence of strawberry root rot disease occurs in years with high temperatures. Strawberry root rot is caused by Fusarium oxysporum, with high economic losses in greenhouse and open-field strawberry production. During 2024, at the Bačka Palanka region, the occurrence of strawberry wilt was determined by a visual inspection of strawberry plantations in an open field. Initial symptoms were necrosis and wilting of the leaves, at the beginning of the young and later of the older leaves, which also resulted in a smaller number of fruits per plant. The infected samples were taken for further analyses in the laboratory. After isolation on PDA medium and incubation at 25 °C for 7 days, F. oxysporum was determined as a pathogen of strawberry root rot. In all tested samples a light white, abundant mycelium was formed with oval to elliptical microconidia. Based on pathogen characteristics for recommendation is preventive measures which have to be done at the beginning of the season, since F. oxysporum spreads rapidly in the strawberry plantation. Without the proper protection, the entire strawberry plants could rot and dry up, and thus the fruits. Further isolates identification using molecular tools is in progress.