Fusarium redolens f.sp asparagi, causal agent of asparagus root rot, crown rot and spear rot

Two Fusarium species, F. oxysporum f.sp. asparagi and F: proliferatum, are known to be involved in the root and crown rot complex of asparagus. We have investigated reports on the involvement of F: redolens, a third species, which until recently was considered conspecific with F: oxysporum because of morphological similarities. RFLP analysis of the rDNA internal transcribed spacer region and AFLP fingerprinting identified eight strains from asparagus unambiguously as F: redolens. Four of these were tested and found to be pathogenic to asparagus either in this study (two strains) or in a previous one in which they were classified as F. oxysporum (three strains). Disease symptoms and disease development were the same as with F: oxysporum f.sp. asparagi and F: proliferatum, Present data and literature reports identify, F: redolens as a host-specific pathogen involved in root, crown and spear rot of asparagus. The pathogen is formally classified as F. redolens Wollenw. f.sp. asparagi Baayen.