Species- Specific- Pathogens of Selected Forest Trees in Tropical Secondary Moist Forest of Otuoke, Nigeria

Abstract

Eneni Roberts Inala, Okpo Esio Unanaonwi

This study was carried out to identify specific fungi and bacteria species associated with four economic forest trees:- Irvingia gabonensis, Nauclea diderrichii, Fagara macrophylla and Artocarpus altilis in Otuoke secondary forest. Leaf samples of selected trees with symptoms of diseases were randomly collected from three forest locations along the Otuoke axis making careful observations on the disease symptoms they showed. Collected samples were taken to the laboratory for mycological and bacteriological analyses. Results show that 4 fungi species were associated with Irvingia gabonensis, 3 with Nauclea diderrichii, 3 with Fagara macrophylla, and 4 fungi were associated with Artocarpus altilis. Percentage occurrence of bacteria species in plant
samples was Pseudomonas aeruginosa (31%), Erwinia persicina(23%), Bacillus cereus (23%), and Agrobacterium spp. (23%). Plants
leave appear most susceptible to pathogens' attack than other plants' parts. Identified fungi and bacteria were the cause of observable diseased symptoms in tree species. This is vital information for forest management and tree conservation, especially when considering the plantation establishment of these species.