Department of Crop Science, University of Nairobi, P.O. Box 30197 Nairobi, Kenya.
* Present address: Dept. of Botany, Egerton University, P.O. Box 536, Njoro, Kenya.
A study was conducted in the glasshouse and under laboratory conditions to verify diversity in Fusarium udum of pigeonpea in Kenya using several isolates of the fungus collected from both traditional pigeonpea growing areas and new ones. Glasshouse tests using twelve pigeonpea lines gave consistent differences in virulence in these isolates. There were also strong differences in growth traits, such as growth rate (aggressiveness), growth habit and morphology, in these isolates in laboratory tests. Therefore, these isolates are true variants of this pathogen. There are as yet no pigeonpea differentials for Fusarium and so it could not be confirmed whether the isolates are races of F. udum in Kenya or not. Its implication in framing a breeding strategy has been discussed.
Pathogenic variation, Fusarium udum, cultural traits, virulence, races
