Occurrence of Fusarium Ananatum on Marketed Pineapples: First Report of Fruitlet Core Rot and Crown Rot in Türkiye

Abstract

Pineapple is an increasingly important tropical fruit crop in Türkiye; however, its quality is threatened by significant postharvest diseases. In June 2025, symptomatic pineapples were observed in central retail markets in Ordu Province, Türkiye. To identify the causal agent of the observed fruit and crown decay, affected fruits displaying distinct crown necrosis, bract browning, and cottony white to cream mycelial growth were collected. A fungus was consistently isolated from these tissues, producing floccose white colonies and fusiform macroconidia typical of the Fusarium fujikuroi species complex (FFSC). For molecular identification, partial sequences of the translation elongation factor 1-alpha (tef1) and RNA polymerase II second-largest subunit (rpb2) genes were analysed. The results confirmed that the Turkish isolates clustered with Fusarium ananatum isolates with high bootstrap support. Pathogenicity was confirmed using the toothpick inoculation method on fruits and detached crown leaves. These assays successfully reproduced the characteristic symptoms of fruitlet core rot and crown rot, and the pathogen was re-isolated, fulfilling Koch's postulates. This study constitutes the first report of F. ananatum in Türkiye. These findings highlight the emergence of this pathogen in the Mediterranean region and emphasise the urgent need for stringent phytosanitary monitoring to safeguard fruit quality and prevent postharvest losses in the domestic market. © 2026 Wiley-VCH GmbH. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.