Fungal diseases of eggplant (Solanum melongena L.) and components of the disease triangle: A review

ABSTRACT

Eggplant (Solanum melongena L.) is one of the most popular solanaceous vegetable crops cultivated mainly in the tropical and subtropical parts of the world. Eggplant production is challenged by a wide range of pathogens, such as bacteria, fungi, viruses, and nematodes. The fungi cause the most severe economic loss to eggplant farmers due to their widespread incidence and devastating impact on crop yield. The fungal diseases are influenced by several factors, including environmental conditions, physiological and genetic characteristics of the host. Despite the economic implications of fungal diseases in eggplant, a compilation of the current understanding of pathogenesis, disease development and the host-resistance mechanisms remain unavailable. In this article, we comprehensively review common fungal pathogens of eggplant reported worldwide, and the diseases caused by them, including their major symptoms. We also discuss the major environmental factors that favor pathogenesis and summarize the molecular mechanisms underlying the host-pathogen interactions and disease development. Finally, we briefly discuss the prospects for future research to develop modern breeding and agronomic tools for combating the diseases in this important crop.

KEYWORDS:

• Aubergine
• brinjal
• disease management
• disease resistance
• fungal pathogens
• pathogenesis
• sustainable strategies

Acknowledgments

We thank Manipal Academy of Higher Education (MAHE), Manipal, Karnataka, India, TIFAC-CORE and FIST, DST New Delhi and K-FIST, VGST, Govt. of Karnataka for the facilities. The authors (AK, SAT and KKR) are grateful to Manipal Academy of Higher Education (MAHE) for Dr. T.M.A. Pai Ph.D. scholarship and CSIR, Govt. of India for Senior Research Fellowship to Kiran K. R (09/1165(0006)/2018-EMR-I). We are indebted to Dr. B.S. Satish Rao, Professor and Director, Manipal School of Life Sciences, Manipal Academy of Higher Education, Manipal, India for his constant encouragement. We would like to thank Prof. M. Radhakrishna Rao for his encouragement and suggestions. Authors also thank Ms. Madhavi Hegde for helping with the revision of the manuscript. We would like to express our gratitude to the Editorial Board members and reviewers for their constructive and critical comments on improving the earlier versions of the manuscript.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Author contributions

AK and AM conceived the idea and wrote the manuscript; AK, SAT carried out the literature survey; AK prepared the figures and tables; AK, AM, KKR, SAT, TSM edited the manuscript; AK, TSM and AM revised the manuscript, and all authors approved the manuscript.

Supplementary material

Supplemental data for this article can be accessed online at https://doi.org/10.1080/15427528.2022.2120145.