Abstract
Ceratocystis manginecans is a destructive systemic fungus and a major cause of mango sudden decline. Heavy losses to the
mango industry in Pakistan are due to this disease. This study was designed to evaluate the histological changes in mango
seedlings inoculated with C. manginecans. The pathogenic fungus was inoculated to indigenous mango germplasm of
Punjab, Azad Jammu and Kashmir. After one week of inoculation, plants started showing disease symptoms including gum
exudation, wilting of leaves, discoloration of stem, and bark splitting. Discolored bark from diseased plants was peeled off
and internal symptoms were studied and confirmed for C. manginecans infection. Diseased stems were transversely sliced
and fixed in formaline acetic alcohol (FAA), double stained and examined under compound microscope. The epidermal
tissues were found to be collapsed due to sclertization of xylem vessels, fungal hyphal growth, production of phenolics and
tyloses. Deposition of phenolics and formation of tyloses in turns leads to the obstruction of water and minerals uptake,
therefore, plants start wilting and then decline.
