Prevalence of Fungal Diseases in Amurum Forest Reserve, Plateau State, Nigeria.
Charity Ada Amienyo: University of Jos,Nigeria
<div><span face="Calibri" style="font-family:Calibri;" size="3">A study on the prevalence of fungal diseases in Amurum Forest Reserve,Jos Plateau State, recognized internationally as an Important Bird Area (IBA) was carried out between August and September 2016. The reserve comprise of three major habitats-The Gallery Forest, Dry Savanna, and Rocky Outcrops. The tree surveys were done on </span><em><span style="font-family:'Calibri';"><span size="3">Croton </span></span></em><span face="Calibri" style="font-family:Calibri;" size="3">L. species,</span><em><span style="font-family:'Calibri';"><span size="3"> Dichrostachys cinerea </span></span></em><span face="Calibri" style="font-family:Calibri;" size="3">(L.) Wight & Arn</span><em><span style="font-family:'Calibri';"><span size="3">, Ficus </span></span></em><span face="Calibri" style="font-family:Calibri;" size="3">L. species,</span><em><span style="font-family:'Calibri';"><span size="3"> Maranthes </span></span></em><span face="Calibri" style="font-family:Calibri;" size="3">L. species, </span><em><span style="font-family:'Calibri';"><span size="3">Parkia biglobosa</span></span></em><span face="Calibri" style="font-family:Calibri;" size="3"> (Jacq.) R. Br. ex G. Don f. and </span><em><span style="font-family:'Calibri';"><span size="3">Syzygium guineense</span></span></em><span face="Calibri" style="font-family:Calibri;" size="3"> (Willd.) DC. being the most abundant tree species. Stratified random sampling was used in the laying of the temporary quadrat point and the location of the quadrat point was established using a Garmin Etrex® Global Positioning System device. Visual observations were made on 383 trees in 30 sample plots. Out of 383 trees recorded ,69.19% of the trees showed external disease symptoms. The highest disease incidence and severity were found to be 89.91% and 43.89% respectively in the gallery forest. Symptoms such as branch split, hollow trunk, canker, leaf blotch, dieback, leaf spots, leaf curl, and chlorosis were observed.The major genera of fungal pathogens isolated from diseased leaves were:</span><em><span style="font-family:'Calibri';"><span size="3"> Choanephora, Collectotrichum, Fusarium, Pestalotiopsis,</span></span></em><span face="Calibri" style="font-family:Calibri;" size="3"> </span><em><span style="font-family:'Calibri';"><span size="3">Thermomyces and Trichoderma</span></span></em><span face="Calibri" style="font-family:Calibri;" size="3">. Therefore, constant surveillance of forest tree species is necessary to help detect any threat to extinction of tree species in the reserve.</span></div>
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