Abstract

Cassava root necrosis disease, a serious disease threatening cassava crops, was first reported in Kinshasa and Kongo Central in the Democratic Republic of Congo in 2003. Initial attempts to identify viral pathogens failed, revealing instead a complex of fungal and bacterial pathogens. The etiology of Cassava Root Necrosis Disease remains unclear, as no single pathogen has been identified as the primary cause. The objective of this study was to characterize the fungal microorganisms potentially involved in cassava root necrosis disease. Morphological and molecular analyses identified 18 isolates as belonging to the species Fusarium solani and 2 to the species Trichoderma sp., while two isolates remained uncharacterized. These results contribute to the understanding of the complex etiology of cassava root rot.

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