Phytophthora palmivora: a serious threat to papaya production in South Africa

Abstract Phytophthora palmivora is an Oomycete pathogen widespread in tropical and subtropical regions, causing severe diseases such as fruit rot, bud rot, blight, cankers, and root rot. Papaya is grown in South Africa by smallholder and commercial farmers in the Limpopo and Mpumalanga provinces. In 2019, widespread symptoms of crown and root rot were observed in South African papaya orchards, leading to significant plant collapse. This study aimed to identify and characterize the pathogen causi