Newman, Z., Department of Fruit Trees, Agricultural Research Organization (ARO), The Volcani Center, Bet Dagan 50250, Israel
Freeman, S., Department of Plant Pathology and Weed Research, Agricultural Research Organization (ARO), The Volcani Center, Bet Dagan 50250, Israel
Biton, I., Department of Fruit Trees, Agricultural Research Organization (ARO), The Volcani Center, Bet Dagan 50250, Israel
Sa'ada, D., Department of Fruit Trees, Agricultural Research Organization (ARO), The Volcani Center, Bet Dagan 50250, Israel
Paz, T., Department of Fruit Trees, Agricultural Research Organization (ARO), The Volcani Center, Bet Dagan 50250, Israel
Maymon, M., Department of Plant Pathology and Weed Research, Agricultural Research Organization (ARO), The Volcani Center, Bet Dagan 50250, Israel
Lavi, U., Department of Fruit Trees, Agricultural Research Organization (ARO), The Volcani Center, Bet Dagan 50250, Israel

Mango malformation disease (MMD) caused by various Fusaria, including the fungus Fusarium mangiferae, is difficult to diagnose and cannot be controlled effectively. In this study a PCR diagnostic tool was developed for detection of F. mangiferae by generating primers which flank fungus-specific sequences. The assay is suitable for both in-vitro and in-vivo tests, and is capable of detecting 10 pg of the fungal DNA. Relatively high genetic variation was discovered between various isolates of the pathogen based on amplified fragment length polymorphism (AFLP) analyses. In addition, some isolates of F. mangiferae (including the accession numbers FMS-123 and NRRL 25226), were found to be quite distinct from most F. mangiferae accessions. Likewise, representative MMD-associated Fusaria from the Asian and American clades of the Gibberella fujikuroi species complex were further differentiated by AFLP analyses. © 2012 Springer Science + Business Media B.V.