OCCURRENCE OF FUSARIUM-OXYSPORUM F-SP CUMINI IN THE ISLAND OF CHIOS, GREECE

A severe disease of cumin causing pre-mature plant death was observed in the island of Chios, Greece. Disease symptoms included sudden red-b rown shrivelling of the foliage, growth retardation and pre-harvest pl ant death. From plants showing early disease symptoms Fusarium oxyspor um (F.o.) was consistently isolated. In artificial inoculations, repre sentative isolates from this fungus species were found to be pathogeni c on cumin, confirming the belonging to the f. sp. cumini. This is the first report of F.o. f.sp. cumini in Greece.