Current status and impact of mango malformation in Egypt

A survey was conducted in 1998 to determine the status and impact of mango malformation in Egypt. In the El Giza, Ismailia and Sharkaia Governerates, disease incidence and severity ranged from 20 to 100% and from 5 to 60%, respectively. In contrast, 75 km to the south in the El Faiyum Governerate, incidence and severity were lower, 3-5 and 0.1 to <1%, respectively. Based on these figures and recent production statistics, it is estimated that malformation causes losses in Egypt of at least E35 million/year. When malformation was managed in El Giza, Ismailia and Sharkaia by removing affected vegetative and floral terminals, the mean disease incidence and severity were lower than in non-managed orchards (69 versus 29% and 29 versus 6%, respectively). Thirty-nine isolates of the pathogen, Fusarium mangiferae, recovered during the survey were sexually incompatible with the B, C and D mating populations of the Gibberella fujikuroi complex; 10 of these were also incompatible among themselves. Four vegetative com...