Fruits of apple ( Malusdomestica), avocado (Perseaamericana ), bush mango (Irvingiagabonensis) and pawpaw (Carica papaya) were cross inoculated with Brachysporium sp., the pathogen of the “gullying” disease of Dacryodes edulis (African pear ). Also inoculated was an unidentified isolate (designated as isolate “A”) which was always associated with the pathogen. The isolates were isolated from diseased pear fruits obtained from New Benin and Oba markets both in Benin City, Oredo Local Government Area of Edo State, Nigeria. Lesion diameter (cm) was measured over a period of five days and data obtained was analysed in a 2 x2 x 4 factorial design. Both isolates produced lesions on test fruits.Brachysporium sp. caused significantly smaller lesions on all inoculated fruits than isolate “A” which exhibited more virulence on the fruits. The mean lesion diameter (cm) for Brachysporium sp. on the test fruits ranged between 0.00 – 2. 00 for pawpaw; 0.16 -2.53 for apple, 0.00 – 1.26 for avocado and 0.12 -0.82 for bush mango. For isolate “A”, the values ranged between 2.86 – 5.36 for pawpaw; 1.08 - 3.68 for apple, 0.53 -3.70 for avocado and 0.36-1.40 for bush mango. The observed variations in the above values for organisms and fruits were highly significant (P<0.001). Irrespective of the market source of the isolates, the trend of their effect on the test fruits was similar. Results confirm the cross infectivity potential of the “gullying” pathogen and its associated organism and thus their host range which is informative for pre- and post- harvest disease control. In addition, findings show the pathogenic and more virulent nature of isolate “A” on some pomaceous fruits even though it is non- pathogenic on Dacryodes edulis.
