Fusarium wilt caused by Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. cubense (Foc), have been observed in production fields of heliconias flower, one of the most appreciate plants in tropical flowers culture. The objectives of this work were verify the disease occurrence in production fields of tropical flowers, evaluate efficiency or inoculation methods and severity characterization for obtained isolates. Periodic visits in twenty-eight fields production were realized aimed to collect parts of plants with diseases symptoms, for the obtation of isolates. The inoculation methods tested were injection of 10mL of fungi suspension on botton of susceptible Heliconia psittacorum cv. Alan Carle plants, deposition of 20 ml of suspension on soil by "meia lua" technique and, "dipping" (30 and 60 min). Evaluation of isolates agressivity was realized by inoculation of mycelium disks on stems obtained of culture medium, detached of plant, incubated at humid chamber for five days. Results of this work showed that 88% of visited fields production have Fusarium wilt, being collected 31 isolates of Foc. At incubation methods, injection was more efficient, reproducing typical symptoms in 36 days after inoculation. For agressivity, eight isolates were grouped with higher aggressivity, 15 as intermediary agressivity and eight isolates with lower agressivity.
Fusarium wilt; infection degree
