L. theobromae, however, it has been reported as the causal agent in destroying mango orchards within days or a few weeks of infection in India, USA, Pakistan, Brazil, Oman, and Korea. L. theobromae is a soil-borne wound pathogen that can affect all parts of the mango tree at all ages.
The L. theobromae occurs in about 500 plant species. The fungus is typical of tropical and subtropical regions and is easily disseminated by wind, insects, and pruning tools. At favorable conditions, the pathogen infects the plant branch, causing dieback and/or canker diseases, sometimes reaching the trunk, and even causing plant death.
The fungus, L. theobromae, often invades twigs and branches from their tips of mango trees causing them to dry and the plant to wilt. Symptoms at early stages of the disease included general wilting appearance of mango trees, and dieback of twigs.
In advanced stages, the disease symptoms were also characterized by the curling and drying of leaves, leading to complete defoliation of the tree and discolouration of vascular regions of the stems and branches.
Mango disease: Dieback disease
