Screening of Sesame Accessions for Resistance to Fusarium wilt in a Controlled Environment

Abstract

Fusarium wilt is a major constraint to sesame production in Burkina Faso, causing significant yield losses. Although synthetic pesticides are commonly used to manage the disease, their adverse effects on human health, the environment, and the development of pathogen resistance necessitate the search for sustainable alternatives. This study evaluated the response of 25 sesame accessions collected from farmers to three major pathogens responsible for Fusarium wilt: Fusarium duofalcatisporum, Fusarium  proliferatum, and Fusarium thapsinum. The pathogens were cultured on sterilized sorghum grains  for 21 days, and the resulting inoculum was incorporated into potting soil at a rate of 2.5 g kg⁻¹. Surface-sterilized sesame seeds were sown in 10-L pots containing the infested substrate and maintained under greenhouse conditions in a split-plot design with four replications. Seedling emergence, disease incidence, and disease severity were assessed at 14, 60, and 90 days after sowing, respectively. Significant interactions were observed between sesame accessions and Fusarium species. Disease incidence ranged from 58.75–96.25% for F. duofalcatisporum, 42.50–87.50% for F. proliferatum, and 33.75–87.50% for F. thapsinum. Disease severity varied considerably among accessions, with severity indices ranging from 36.00–94.00%, 23.50–78.50%, and 17.75–84.25% for F. duofalcatisporum, F. proliferatum, and F. thapsinum, respectively. Among the evaluated accessions, only V9 exhibited relatively low susceptibility to F. thapsinum. Overall, the results indicate that most of the tested sesame accessions are susceptible to Fusarium wilt, highlighting the need for further screening and breeding efforts to identify and develop resistant sesame varieties.