INCIDENCE, ISOLATION AND IDENTIFICATION OF FUNGAL SPECIES ASSOCIATED WITH PASSION FRUITS (PASSIFLORA EDULIS) CULTIVATED IN THE DSCHANG PRODUCTION BASIN

Species belonging to the Passifloraceae genus are faced with pre- and post-harvest losses in the Dschang production basin. Among the causes of these losses, fungal diseases play an important role due to lack of knowledge of the symptoms of these diseases and the fungal species associated with them. It is in this context that the present study was carried out with the aim of describing the symptoms, assessing the incidence of fungal diseases and isolating and identifying the various fungi associated with passion fruit grown in the Dschang production basin, with a view to considering an effective control method at a later date. To this end, five quadra were carried out at each production site. Each plant organ (leaves and fruit) present in each quadra was scrupulously observed for symptoms of the parasitic diseases present. Each time a symptom was observed, it was noted then name of the disease and the type of disease associated with the symptom identified. From the fungal disease symptoms observed, the incidence was determined by calculating the ratio of the number of contaminated plants per quadra to the total number of plants multiplied by one hundred. The results showed that passion fruits grown in the Dschang production basin are contaminated by several fungal diseases, as evidenced by yellowing and drying of leaves and fruits, wilting of leaves and stunting of fruits, fruits with brown spots and fruits with grey lesions. An inventory of the fungi associated with these symptoms revealed the presence of five fungal