VIJAY VARDHAN PANDEY, CHARUL KANTHOLA, MANOJ KUMAR AND AMIT PANDEY
Abstract
Ganoderma lucidum belongs to the Ganodermataceae family of the order Polyporales in the class Agaricomycetes (Moncalvo et al., 1997). G. lucidum, a pathogenic fungus, causes root rot in trees, a condition that severely weakens and often kills its host. This fungal species primarily infects the roots of a tree, spreading through the soil and decaying the woody tissues. As the infection progresses, the treeâs ability to absorb water and nutrients diminishes which results in die-back or stag-head symptoms where tree starts declining from the top and proceed downwards, leading to structural instability and eventual collapse. Visibly, the disease manifests in the form of fruiting bodies, or conks, which are shelf-like growths that emerge at the base of the tree. These conks have a distinctive reddish brown color with a glossy appearance and are a hallmark sign of G. lucidum infection. Below ground, the treeâs roots rot and break down, sometimes going unnoticed until significant damage has occurred.