Phytophthora parasitica Histopathology of Eggplant Fruits Infected by Phytophthora parasitica

Abstract

This study is a portion of the author’M.S. Thesis entitled “ Phytophthora Fruit Rot of Eggplant” prepared under the advisorship of Dr. Gill G. Divinagracia in the University of the Philippines. Approximately 3-week old eggplantfruits of Dumaguete and Long purple strains were inoculated with drops of zoospore suspension of Pyhytophthora parasitica. InDumaguete strain of eggplant fruits,zoospores germinated on the surface after 25 minutes and entered the host after 2 hours. The fungus infected all tissues, except the xytem vessels. It spreads inside intra and intercellularly and did not kill cells in advance of the hyhae. No histologic defense reaction was observed.The first symptom of infection on young fruit became eident 18 hours afterinoculation. In Long purple strain of eggplant fruits, a corky layer was formed below the infected region in response to infection by the pathogen.