First draft genome and genomic analysis of Neofusicoccum parvum isolated from mango (Mangifera indica L.) in Paraguay

Abstract

Mango (Mangifera indica L.) is one of the most economically important tropical fruit crops worldwide, with increasing relevance in Latin America for both fresh consumption and export markets (Food and Agriculture Organization, 2021; Kaur et al., 2023). Its production is significantly affected by fungal diseases, particularly post-harvest stem-end rot and fruit rot, which reduce shelf life and commercial value (Gariba et al., 2025; Guirado-Manzano et al., 2024; Lomavatu et al., 2024; Navarro et al., 2022). Members of the family Botryosphaeriaceae, including species of Neofusicoccum, are frequently associated with these diseases in mango-producing regions across Asia, Africa, Oceania, and the Americas (Coutinho et al., 2018; Li et al., 2021; Phillips et al., 2013; Sakalidis et al., 2011; Vecchio et al., 2025).

Among them, Neofusicoccum parvum is recognized as an opportunist pathogen capable of causing dieback, stem canker, and fruit rot in mango and other woody hosts. This species can persist as a latent endophyte and transition to a pathogenic phase under host stress conditions, complicating disease management and epidemiological assessments (Castaño-Tarazona et al., 2025; Hernández et al., 2023; Marques et al., 2013; Slippers and Wingfield, 2007).

Accurate identification of Botryosphaeriaceae species is challenging due to morphological similarity and the presence of cryptic species complexes. Molecular markers such as the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region are widely used for initial taxonomic assignment, although whole-genome data provide higher resolution for species delimitation and comparative analyses (Deng et al., 2025; Sakalidis et al., 2013; Schoch et al., 2012).

Despite the cultural and economic importance of mango production in Paraguay, genomic resources for fungal pathogens associated with mango diseases in the country are currently lacking. Here, we report the first whole-genome draft sequence of N. parvum, obtained from a strain isolated from symptomatic mango fruits collected in the Central Department of Paraguay. The assembled and annotated genome provides a reference resource for future comparative, epidemiological, and pathogenicity-related studies of Botryosphaeriaceae in the region.