ASSESSMENT OF THE PREVALENCE OF MAJOR FUNGAL DISEASES IN CASHEW ORCHARDS IN PENI, BURKINA FASO

Cashew tree (Anacardium occidentale L.) occupies an important place in the fruit growing of Burkina Faso. Its nuts are the object of an increasingly strong internal and external demand. However, fungal diseases are the cause of considerable losses and reducing the quality of cashew nuts in plantations. The present study was therefore aimed at identifying the fungal pathogen profile associated with cashew orchards in Peni. For this experiment, symptomatic samples of leaves, flowers and fruits were harvested in 60 orchards from 12 villages of Peni, and the fungi associated with the symptoms were isolated on potato dextrose agar (PDA) plates. Then, an identification of fungi was carried based on the morphological characters of colonies, hyphae and conidia, using identification keys. The results revealed that six fungal species were associated to diseases symptoms. Among these fungi, Pestalotia heterocormis, Colletotrichum gloeosporioides, and Aspergillus niger were the most frequently isolated from symptoms, 61.67%, 38.33% and 25.00%, respectively. Our findings indicate that cashew orchards in Peni are attacked by a complex of phytopathogenic fungi that may affect fruit quantity and quality. Therefore, there is a need to seek effective fungal disease management strategies to ensure sustainable cashew production in Burkina Faso.