Are some endophytes of Musa acuminata latent pathogens

Abstract

Fungi isolated as endophytes from wild banana (Musa acuminata) were tested in order to ascertain whether they are capable of causing disease symptoms in healthy banana leaves. The endophytes Cladosporium musae, Colletotrichum gloeosporioides, Cordana musae, Deightoniella torulosa, Guignardia cocoicola, Periconiella musae and Pestalotiopsis sp. were inoculated on banana leaves in vitro to test their pathogenicity. Only Deightoniella torulosa was able to cause leaf spots on banana leaves in vitro. This result confirms earlier reports that fungal pathogens may be latent in their host long before the outbreak of disease symptoms.