The key difference between fusarium and verticillium wilt is that fusarium wilt is a plant disease caused by the fungus Fusarium and it is a host-specific disease while verticillium wilt is a plant disease caused by Verticillium fungal species and it has a wider host range.
Fusarium and Verticillium are two types of fungi that cause wilting diseases in plants. They are soil-borne fungi or soil-borne fungal pathogens. These fungi invade through the roots, especially via wounds, and colonize the xylem vessels. Once they enter, they disrupt water conduction in plants. They mainly cause wilting, dieback and characteristic vascular staining. Both produce similar symptoms. Hence, the identification of the exact organism can be made only via laboratory testing. However, fusarium wilts are host specific while verticillium wilts have a wider host range.
CONTENTS
1. Overview and Key Difference
2. What is Fusarium Wilt
3. What is Verticillium Wilt
4. Similarities Between Fusarium and Verticillium Wilt
5. Side by Side Comparison – Fusarium vs Verticillium Wilt in Tabular Form
6. Summary
What is Fusarium Wilt?
Fusarium wilt is a plant disease caused by the fungus Fusarium oxysporum. It is a host-specific disease. It is also a warmer weather disease. Fusarium is a soil-borne fungus. It enters roots of plants and colonizes vascular tissues, especially the xylem tissue. Fusarium wilt exhibits similar symptoms of verticillium wilt. Therefore, the common symptoms include wilting, dieback and characteristic vascular staining. Infected seedlings wilt and die quickly due to fusarium wilt. Fusarium wilt can be seen in economically important crop varieties including sweet potatoes, tomatoes, legumes, melons, and bananas.
Figure 01: Fusarium Wilt
Generally, controlling of fusarium wilt can be done by improving soil conditions, planting resistant varieties, removing infected plant tissues, using clean seed, using soil and systemic fungicides and using crop rotation.
What is Verticillium Wilt?
Verticillium wilt is a vascular wilt disease of plants caused by Verticillium fungal species. It is similar to fusarium wilt disease. Verticillium species are soil-borne fungal pathogens. They infect plants through roots, especially via wounds. Then they invade vascular tissues and disrupt the conduction of water, causing the wilt disease. Unlike fusarium wilt, verticillium wilt has a wider host range of nearly 200 plant species.
Figure 02: Verticillium Wilt
It is difficult to control and manage verticillium wilt. The best way of controlling is the use of resistant plant varieties. Crop rotation can also be used. Moreover, improving soil conditions, soil fumigation and use of clean seeds also help to control verticillium wilt. Similar to fusarium wilt, the exact organism of verticillium wilt can be identified through a laboratory test.
What are the Similarities Between Fusarium and Verticillium Wilt?
- Fusarium wilt and verticillium wilt are two fungal diseases that affect economically important plants.
- Both types of causative agents are soil-borne fungi. They cause vascular wilt disease.
- Fusarium and verticillium infect plants through their root system.
- They invade vascular tissues and disrupt water transportation through the xylem.
- Both diseases show similar symptoms such as yellowing, wilting and shrivelled leaves, stunting, bark cracking and twig or branch dieback.
- These fungi produce microscopic resting spores or structures. Hence, they are able to remain in the soil for many years.
- The Fusarium and Verticillium pathogens are primarily introduced to fields through infected transplants or seed.
- Soil fumigation, crop rotation, soil pasteurization, use of disease-free planting medium and use of resistant varieties are several preventive methods of both diseases.
- However, among different methods, the use of resistant varieties is the best strategy to control these wilts diseases.
What is the Difference Between Fusarium and Verticillium Wilt?
Fusarium wilt and verticillium wilt are two wilt diseases that produce similar symptoms. However, fusarium wilt is caused by a Fusarium fungal species while verticillium wilt is caused by several Verticillium species. This is the key difference between fusarium and verticillium wilt. Fusarium wilt is a host-specific disease while verticillium wilts have a wider host range.
Summary – Fusarium vs Verticillium Wilt
Fusarium wilt and verticillium wilt are two vascular wilt diseases of plants. Both produce similar symptoms. However, fusarium wilts are host specific while verticillium wilts have a wider host range. Moreover, fusarium wilt is a warm-weather disease, while verticillium wilt is a cool-weather disease. This is the summary of the difference between fusarium and verticillium wilt.
Reference:
1. Fusarium Wilt: Symptoms, Treatment And Control | Planet Natural”. Planet Natural, 2020, Available here.
Image Courtesy:
1. “Fusarium wilt symptom tobacco” By R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Company Slide Set -by The Bugwood Network at the University of Georgia and the USDA Forest Service (CC BY 3.0) via Commons Wikimedia
2. “Verticillium wilt dahliae” By Howard F. Schwartz – (CC BY 3.0) via Commons Wikimedia