scholarly journals First Report of Powdery Mildew (Pseudoidium neolycopersici) on Croton (Codiaeum variegatum var. pictum) in China

Plant Disease ◽  
2015 ◽  
Vol 99 (2) ◽  
pp. 288-288 ◽  
Author(s):  
X.-M. Liu ◽  
Y.-X. Wei ◽  
H. Zhang ◽  
F.-X. Zhou ◽  
J.-J. Pu

Croton (Codiaeum variegatum (Linn.) var. pictum (Lodd.)) is an ornamental plant commonly grown in southern China. In March 2014, severe powdery mildew infections were observed on crotons in gardens of Hainan University (20.1°N and 110.3°E), Haikou, Hainan province. Disease incidence was estimated in a random batch of 100 plants in three replicates, with the average value approaching 80%. Symptoms first appeared as white circular patches on the adaxial surface and expanded to the abaxial surface, petioles, and stems. The top leaves were the most affected. Upper surfaces of the infected leaves were covered by white, dense mycelia. As the disease progressed, infected leaves turned purple on the lower surfaces and curly before becoming necrotic and abscising from the plant. Powdery mildew was more severe in shaded environments, especially during rainy or foggy weather in early spring. Two hundred conidiophores and conidia were observed microscopically. The conidiophores were straight or occasionally flexuous, 62.3 to 127.6 × 6.2 to 10.2 μm, consisting of two to three straight cells. Conidia were born in solitary on the top of conidiophores. Conidia were hyaline, ellipsoidal, 26.4 to 42.2 × 11.7 to 23.4 μm (average 32.5 × 16.5 μm), contained no distinct fibrosin bodies, and produced a subterminal germ tube. The wrinkling pattern of the outer walls of older conidia was angular or reticulated. Appressoria were single and multilobed. Cleistothecia were not observed. Based on morphological characteristics, the fungus was identified as Oidium neolycopersici (2), which was recently renamed Pseudoidium neolycopersici (L. Kiss) (3). The identity was confirmed by sequence analysis. Genomic DNA was extracted from the foliar powdery mildew colonies using Chelex-100 (Bio-Rad, Shanghai, China). The rDNA internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region was amplified with primers ITS1 and ITS4 (5). The ITS sequence of the representative isolates C01 (GenBank Accession No. KJ890378.1) and four other powdery mildew samples collected from crotons in Hainan University was 100% identical to that of P. neolycopersici isolates from tomato plants such as JQ972700 and AB163927. Inoculations were made by gently pressing diseased leaves onto leaves of five healthy plants of croton and tomato (‘Money maker’). Five non-inoculated croton and tomato plants served as controls. Inoculated and non-inoculated plants were maintained in an incubator at 25°C with a 12-h photoperiod. After eight days, typical powdery mildew symptoms developed on 93% of the inoculated plants, while no symptom developed on the non-inoculated plants. The pathogenicity tests were repeated three times. The same fungus was always re-isolated from the diseased tissue according to Koch's postulates. The pathogenicity tests further confirmed that the pathogen from crotons is P. neolycopersici (Basionym. Oidium neolycopersici (KJ890378.1)), which is commonly known as the tomato powdery mildew. P. neolycopersici is also a pathogen of Normania triphylla (1) and papaya (4). To our knowledge, this is the first report of P. neolycopersici infecting croton. The avenue of this pathogen entering gardens of Hainan University remains unknown. The gardens are located far away from tomato farms. Also no symptom of powdery mildew on croton was observed during surveys in other locations in Haikou. The origin of the pathogen warrants additional research. References: (1) D. Delmail et al. Mycotaxon 113:269, 2010. (2) L. Kiss et al. Mycol. Res. 105:684, 2001. (3) L. Kiss et al. Mycol. Res. 115:612, 2011. (4) J. G. Tsay et al. Plant Dis. 95:1188, 2011. (5) T. J. White et al. Page 315 in: PCR Protocols: A Guide to Methods and Applications. Academic Press, San Diego, CA, 1990.

Plant Disease ◽  
2012 ◽  
Vol 96 (6) ◽  
pp. 912-912 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. Stevanović ◽  
I. Stanković ◽  
A. Vučurović ◽  
N. Dolovac ◽  
E. Pfaf-Dolovac ◽  
...  

In September 2011, tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L. ‘Big Beef’) plants showing typical symptoms of powdery mildew were collected in a greenhouse in the vicinity of Padinska Skela (District of City of Belgrade) in Serbia. Numerous circular, white colonies of powdery mildew were observed predominantly on the adaxial surface of the leaves, the petioles, and the stems. The foliage of infected plants turned yellow and necrotic, which was followed by rapid defoliation. Disease incidence was estimated by counting plants with powdery mildew symptoms in a random batch of 100 plants in four replicates and estimated to be extremely high, approaching 90%. Tomato plants (‘Novosadski Jabučar’) were inoculated with conidia released from diseased tomato leaves positioned above the tomato leaves and maintained at 25°C with a 14-h photoperiod. Healthy tomato plants from the same lot, which were not exposed to the conidia shower, were used as negative control. The first white fungal colonies appeared on the leaves of the inoculated plants within 4 to 7 days after inoculation, while no fungal growth was observed in the control plants. To determine the morphological characteristics of the pathogen, surface mycelium was removed with small strips of clear adhesive tape and examined using light microscopy. Microscopic observation revealed mycelium with lobed appressoria and hyaline, ellipsoid-ovoid or doliform conidia (32.5 to 47.5 × 17.5 to 25 μm) with no distinct firosin bodies and which produced sub-terminal germ tubes. Conidia were produced on the unbranched, erect conidiophores (82.5 to 150 μm) consisting of a cylindrical foot-cell followed by one to three short cells. No chasmothecia were found. On the basis of morphological characteristics, the pathogen was identified as Oidium neolycopersici (4), which was confirmed by internal transcribed spacer (ITS) sequence analysis. Total DNA was extracted directly from the whitish spots of superficial mycelium on the leaves with a DNeasy Plant Mini Kit (Qiagen, Hilden, Germany) following the manufacturer's instructions. PCR amplification and sequencing were performed with primers ITS1F and ITS4 (1). The nucleotide sequence of the representative isolate 809-11 (Accession No. JQ619840) shared 100% identity with 16 O. neolycopersici isolates deposited in GenBank from different parts of the world. Tomato powdery mildew caused by O. neolycopersici is present in many European (4) and other countries around the world (3) and is becoming economically very important as majority of the tomato cultivars have shown to be susceptible (2). To our knowledge, this is the first report of O. neolycopersici in Serbia. Because tomato is a very popular and widely grown vegetable in Serbia, the presence of a new and potentially harmful disease could endanger greenhouse as well as open field tomato production. References: (1) J. H. Cunnington et al. Australas. Plant Pathol. 32:421, 2003. (2) T. Jankovics et al. Phytopathology 98:529, 2008. (3) H. Jones et al. Mol. Plant Pathol. 2:303, 2001. (4) L. Kiss et al. Mycol. Res. 105:684, 2001.


Plant Disease ◽  
2007 ◽  
Vol 91 (12) ◽  
pp. 1684-1684
Author(s):  
G. Rodríguez-Alvarado ◽  
J. García-López ◽  
R. Rodríguez-Fernández ◽  
S. P. Fernández-Pavía ◽  
E. Garay-Serrano

During June and July of 2007, powdery mildew-infected tomato (Lycopersicum esculentum Mill. cv. Reserve) plants were observed in a commercial greenhouse with an open hydroponic system in Morelia County. Disease incidence increased from 0.5% to more than 90% in 1 month. Infected plants showed leaves with irregular areas of dense, white mycelium covering most of the upper surface. Microscopic analysis showed hyaline, septate hyphae with lobed appressoria. Conidia were ellipsoid to ovoid and 30 to 45 (38) μm × 15 to 20 (16) μm. Conidiophores were erect, 80 to 120 (103) μm, consisted of a foot cell 42 to 67 (56) μm, and two to three short cells. Conidia were produced singly. On the basis of the observed morphological characteristics, the fungus was identified as Oidium neolycopersici L. Kiss (1). Pathogenicity tests were conducted on fourth true-leaf tomato seedlings cv. Reserve under greenhouse conditions (22 ± 5°C). Inoculation was performed by transferring conidia from infected leaves to the leaves of uninfected tomato seedlings with a single-edged razor blade. Powdery mildew symptoms began to develop 7 days after inoculation. Symptoms and morphological characteristics were similar to those observed in the commercial greenhouse. Noninoculated plants remained healthy throughout the experiments. To our knowledge, this is the first report of O. neolycopersici causing powdery mildew on tomato in Michoacan, Mexico. This disease has been reported from Canada, Europe, Japan, the United States (2), and Venezuela (3) on greenhouse and field tomato crops. The observed high incidence and severe infection indicates that this disease may become an important problem in greenhouse tomatoes in Mexico. References: (1) L. Kiss et al. Mycol. Res. 105:684, 2001. (2) L. Kiss et al. Plant Dis. 89:491, 2005. (3) J. O. Montilla et al. Plant Dis. 91:910, 2007.


Plant Disease ◽  
2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tao Luo ◽  
Guoqing Li ◽  
Long Yang

Oilseed rape (Brassica napus L.) is one of the most important oilseed crops in China. It is widely cultivated in China, with winter oilseed rape in Yangtze River basin and in southern China, and spring oilseed rape in northern China. In August 2017, a survey for Leptosphaeria spp. on spring oilseed rape was conducted in Minle county, Zhangye city, Gansu Province, China. The symptoms typical of blackleg on basal stems of oilseed rape were observed in the field. A large number of black fruiting bodies (pycnidia) were present on the lesions (Fig. 1A). The disease incidence of basal stem infection in the surveyed field was 19%. A total of 19 diseased stems were collected to isolate the pathogen. After surface sterilizing (75% ethanol for 30 s, 5% NaOCl for 60 s, followed by rinsing in sterilized water three times), diseased tissues were cultured on acidified potato dextrose agar (PDA) plates at 20°C for 7 days. Twelve fungal isolates were obtained. All fungal isolates produced typical tan pigment on PDA medium, and produced pycnidia after two weeks (Fig. 1B). Colony morphological characteristics indicated that these isolates might belong to Leptosphaeria biglobosa. To confirm identification, multiple PCR was conducted using the species-specific primers LmacF, LbigF, LmacR (Liu et al. 2006). Genomic DNA of each isolate was extracted using the cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB) method. DNA samples of L. maculans isolate UK-1 and L. biglobosa isolate W10 (Cai et al. 2015) were used as references. Only a 444-bp DNA band was detected in all 12 isolates and W10, whereas a 333-bp DNA band was detected only in the UK-1 isolate (Fig. 1C). PCR results suggested that these 12 isolates all belong to L. biglobosa. In addition, the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region of these 12 isolates was analyzed for subspecies identification (Vincenot et al. 2008). Phylogenetic analysis based on ITS sequence showed that five isolates (Lb1134, Lb1136, Lb1138, Lb1139 and Lb1143) belonged to L. biglobosa ‘brassicae’ (Lbb) with 78% bootstrap support, and the other seven isolates (Lb1135, Lb1137, Lb1140, Lb1141, Lb1142, Lb1144 and Lb1145) belonged to L. biglobosa ‘canadensis’ (Lbc) with 95% bootstrap support (Fig. 1D). Two Lbb isolates (Lb1134 and Lb1136) and two Lbc isolates (Lb1142 and Lb1144) were randomly selected for pathogenicity testing on B. napus cultivar Zhongshuang No. 9 (Wang et al. 2002). Conidial suspensions (10 μL, 1 × 107 conidia mL-1) of these four isolates were inoculated on needle-wounded cotyledons (14-day-old seedling), with 10 cotyledons (20 wounded sites) per isolate. A further 10 wounded cotyledons were inoculated with water and served as controls. Seedlings were maintained in a growth chamber at 20°C with 100% relative humidity and a 12-h photoperiod. After 7 days, cotyledons inoculated with the four isolates showed necrotic lesions in the inoculated wounds. Control cotyledons had no symptoms (Fig. 2). Fungi re-isolated from the infected cotyledons showed similar colony morphology as the original isolates. Therefore, L. biglobosa ‘brassicae’ and L. biglobosa ‘canadensis’ appear to be the pathogens causing the observed blackleg symptoms on spring oilseed rape in Gansu, China. In previous studies, L. biglobosa ‘brassicae’ has been found in many crops in China, including oilseed rape (Liu et al. 2014; Cai et al. 2015), Chinese radish (Raphanus sativus) (Cai et al. 2014a), B. campestris ssp. chinensis var. purpurea (Cai et al. 2014b), broccoli (B. oleracea var. italica) (Luo et al. 2018), ornamental kale (B. oleracea var. acephala) (Zhou et al. 2019a), B. juncea var. multiceps (Zhou et al. 2019b), B. juncea var. tumida (Deng et al. 2020) and Chinese cabbage (B. rapa subsp. pekinensis) (Yu et al. 2021 accepted). To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report of L. biglobosa ‘canadensis’ causing blackleg on B. napus in China.


Plant Disease ◽  
2011 ◽  
Vol 95 (9) ◽  
pp. 1188-1188 ◽  
Author(s):  
J.-G. Tsay ◽  
R.-S. Chen ◽  
H.-L. Wang ◽  
W.-L. Wang ◽  
B.-C. Weng

Powdery mildew can be found in most papaya (Carica papaya L.) fields during the winter and spring seasons in Taiwan. It usually causes severe yellowing of the leaf lamina and petiole and serious defoliation. Three types of powdery mildew fungi were isolated from papaya leaves in Chiayi City (23.28°N, 120.28°E) at the beginning of 2008. Conidia of the first one were single, globose, hyaline, and 24 to 36 × 14 to 18 μm (average 30.2 × 15.6 μm) without fibrosin bodies and with straight or occasionally flexuous conidiophores at the base. The second one had short pseudo-chains of two to four conidia which were ellipsoidal to ovoid, hyaline, and 24 to 40 × 12 to 16 μm (average 29.7 × 13.4 μm) without fibrosin bodies. The third type had chains of ellipsoidal conidia that were hyaline, 24 to 28 × 12 to 16 μm (average 26.3 × 14.4 μm) and contained fibrosin bodies. To confirm the identity of the three fungi, the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region of rDNA was amplified using the primer pairs G1 (5′-TCC GTA GGT GAA CCT GCG GAA GGA T-3′)/Ed2 (5′-CGC GTA GAG CCC ACG TCG GA-3′), G1 (5′-TCC GTA GGT GAA CCT GCG GAA GGA T-3′)/On2 (5′-TGT GAT CCA TGT GAC TGG AA-3′), and S1 (5′-GGA TCA TTA CTG AGC GCG AGG CCC CG-3′)/S2 (5′-CGC CGC CCT GGC GCG AGA TAC A-3′). The alignment of obtained sequences (GenBank Accession Nos. GU358452, 507 bp; GU358451, 580 bp; and GU358450, 455 bp) showed a sequence identity of 100, 99, and 99% with the ITS sequences of Erysiphe diffusa, Oidium neolycopersici, and Podosphaera xanthii (GenBank Accession Nos. FJ378880, EU909694, and GQ927254), respectively. On the basis of morphological characteristics and ITS sequence similarities, these fungi were identified as E. diffusa (Cooke & Peck) U. Braun & S. Takam., O. neolycopersici L. Kiss, and P. xanthii (Castagne) U. Braun & S. Takam., respectively (1,3). Single colonies on papaya leaves infected with powdery mildew were identified in the laboratory and maintained on papaya leaves as inoculum. Pathogenicity was confirmed through inoculations by gently pressing a single colony of each fungus onto leaves of healthy papaya seedlings (cv. Horng-Fe). Five seedlings were inoculated for each fungus and then covered with plastic bags for 2 days. Five noninoculated seedlings served as control. After inoculation, treated plants were maintained separately from the control in different rooms of a greenhouse at 25°C under natural daylight conditions. Seven days after inoculation, typical symptoms of powdery mildew were observed on inoculated plants, but not on noninoculated plants. The same species from diseased lesions following artificial inoculation with each fungus were identified with light microscopy. Papaya was previously described as a host to O. caricae Noack in many tropical and subtropical areas of the world including Taiwan (2). However E. cruciferarum, Golovinomyces cichoracearum, Oidiopsis sicula, O. caricae, O. caricae-papayae, O. caricicola, O. indicum, O. papayae, Ovulariopsis papayae, P. caricae-papayae, P. macularis, P. xanthii, and Streptopodium caricae were reported to infect papaya (4). To our knowledge, this is the first report of papaya powdery mildew caused by E. diffusa and O. neolycopersici in the world and the first report of the three fungi found on papaya in Taiwan. References: (1) U. Braun and S. Takamatsu. Schlechtendalia 4:1, 2000. (2) H. S. Chien and H. L. Wang. J. Agric. Res. China 33:320, 1984. (3) L. Kiss et al. Mycol. Res. 105:684, 2001. (4) J. R. Liberato et al. Mycol. Res. 108:1185, 2004.


Plant Disease ◽  
2009 ◽  
Vol 93 (3) ◽  
pp. 316-316 ◽  
Author(s):  
T. Jankovics ◽  
L. Kiss ◽  
R. E. Niks ◽  
M. L. Daughtrey

Scabiosa columbaria (Dipsacaceae) is a popular perennial ornamental in the United States. It is native to Europe and was introduced to North America by nursery trade only recently. In the spring of 2006, symptoms of powdery mildew infection were observed on overwintered plants of S. columbaria cv. Butterfly Blue in a nursery in Cutchogue, NY. White powdery mildew mycelia with abundant sporulation were observed on upper and lower leaf surfaces. The portions of leaves with powdery mildew colonies often showed purplish discoloration. Conidia were cylindric to doliiform, measured 20 to 33 × 10 to 15 μm, and were produced singly on 60 to 130 μm long conidiophores consisting of a foot-cell measuring 20 to 50 × 6 to 10 μm, followed by one to three, 12 to 40 μm long cells. Hyphal appressoria were lobed or multilobed. The teleomorph stage was not found. On the basis of these characteristics, the pathogen was identified as an Oidium sp. belonging to the subgenus Pseudoidium. Recently, an anamorphic powdery mildew fungus with similar morphological characteristics, identified as Erysiphe knautiae, was reported on S. columbaria cv. Butterfly Blue in Washington (2). E. knautiae is a common powdery mildew species of dipsacaceous plants such as Scabiosa spp. and Knautia spp. in Europe and Asia (1). To determine whether the fungus reported here was E. knautiae, DNA was extracted from its mycelium, and the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region of the ribosomal DNA was amplified and sequenced as described earlier (4). No ITS sequences are available in public DNA databases for E. knautiae, thus, we determined this sequence in a specimen of E. knautiae collected from Knautia arvensis in The Netherlands. Herbarium specimens of the Oidium sp. infecting S. columbaria in New York and E. knautiae from the Netherlands were deposited at the U.S. National Fungus Collections under accession numbers BPI 878259 and BPI 878258, respectively. The ITS sequence from Oidium sp. infecting S. columbaria in New York (GenBank Accession No. EU377474) differed in two nucleotides from that of E. knautiae infecting K. arvensis in the Netherlands (GenBank Accession No. EU377475). These two ITS sequences were also more than 99% similar to those of some newly emerged anamorphic powdery mildew fungi: Oidium neolycopersici and other Oidium spp. infecting Chelidonium majus, Passiflora caerulea, and some crassulaceous plants (3,4). Thus, it is unclear whether the fungus reported here was E. knautiae known from Eurasia or an Oidium sp. that has acquired pathogenicity to S. columbaria. To our knowledge, this is the first report of powdery mildew on S. columbaria in New York. References: (1) U. Braun. Beih. Nova Hedwigia 89:1, 1987. (2) D. A. Glawe and G. G. Grove. Online publication. doi:10.1094/PHP-2005-1024-01-BR. Plant Health Progress, 2005. (3) B. Henricot. Plant Pathol. 57:779, 2008. (4) T. Jankovics et al. Phytopathology 98:529, 2008.


Plant Disease ◽  
2011 ◽  
Vol 95 (9) ◽  
pp. 1194-1194 ◽  
Author(s):  
G. Polizzi ◽  
D. Aiello ◽  
V. Guarnaccia ◽  
A. Panebianco ◽  
P. T. Formica

The genus Passiflora (Passifloraceae family) contains more than 500 species and several hybrids. In Italy, some of these species and hybrids are grown as ornamental evergreen vines or shrubs. During August and September 2010, a crown and root rot was observed in a stock of approximately 6,000 potted 2-year-old plants of Passiflora mollissima (Kunth) Bailey, commonly known as the banana passionflower, in a nursery located in eastern Sicily (southern Italy). Disease incidence was approximately 20%. Disease symptoms consisted of water-soaked lesions at the crown and a root rot. Successively, older crown lesions turned light brown to brown and expanded to girdle the stem. As crown and root rot progressed, basal leaves turned yellow and gradually became necrotic and infected plants wilted and died. A fungus with mycelial and morphological characteristics of Rhizoctonia solani Kühn was consistently isolated from crown lesions and brown decaying roots when plated on potato dextrose agar (PDA) amended with streptomycin sulfate at 100 μg/ml. Fungal colonies were initially white, turned brown with age, and produced irregularly shaped, brown sclerotia. Mycelium was branched at right angles with a septum near the branch with a slight constriction at the branch base. Hyphal cells removed from 10 representative cultures grown at 25°C on 2% water agar were determined to be multinucleate when stained with 1% safranin O and 3% KOH solution (1) and examined at ×400. Anastomosis groups were determined by pairing isolates on 2% water agar in petri plates (4). Pairings were made with tester strains of AG-1, AG-2, AG-3, AG-4, AG-5, AG-6, and AG-11. Anastomosis was observed only with tester isolates of AG-4 (3). Pathogenicity tests were performed on container-grown, healthy, 3-month-old cuttings. Twenty plants of P. mollissima were inoculated near the base of the stem with five 1-cm2 PDA plugs from 5-day-old mycelial plugs obtained from two representative cultures. The same number of plants served as uninoculated controls. Plants were maintained at 25°C and 95% relative humidity with a 12-h fluorescent light/dark regimen. Wilt symptoms due to crown and root rot, identical to ones observed in the nursery, appeared 7 to 8 days after inoculation with either of the two isolates and all plants died within 20 days. No disease was observed on control plants. R. solani AG-4 was reisolated from symptomatic tissues and identified as previously described, confirming its pathogenicity. Damping-off or crown and root rot due to R. solani were previously detected on P. edulis in Brazil, Africa, India, Oceania, and Australia (2). To our knowledge, this is the first report of R. solani causing crown and root rot on P. mollissima. References: (1) R. J. Bandoni. Mycologia 71:873, 1979. (2) J. L. Bezerra and M. L. Oliveira. Fitopathol. Brasil. 9:273, 1984. (3) D. E. Carling. Page 37 in: Grouping in Rhizoctonia solani by Hyphal Anastomosis Reactions. Kluwer Academic Publishers, the Netherlands, 1996. (4) C. C. Tu and J. W. Kimbrough. Mycologia 65:941, 1973.


Plant Disease ◽  
2010 ◽  
Vol 94 (4) ◽  
pp. 483-483 ◽  
Author(s):  
G. Rodríguez-Alvarado ◽  
R. Rodríguez-Fernández ◽  
A. Soto-Plancarte ◽  
S. P. Fernández-Pavía

Carrot (Daucus carota L. subsp. sativus (Hoffm.) Arcang.) is planted as a home-grown vegetable in the central region of Michoacan, Mexico. Powdery mildew was observed on carrot plants cv. Nantesa at several locations near Morelia, Michoacan during March 2009. Affected plants had abundant, white, superficial conidia and mycelium on leaves and stems. All plants at each of five locations surveyed had powdery mildew symptoms with percent foliage coverage ranging from 50 to 80%. Mycelial growth was amphigenous, mainly on the upper leaf surface, covering the whole leaf and with irregular patches on inflorescences and stems. Hyphae were ectophytic with lobed appressoria. Conidiophores presented foot cells 22.5 to 35 (30) × 5.75 to 7 (6.3) μm followed by two cells, one shorter and one longer than the foot cell. Conidia were produced singly, most subcylindric to cylindric, lacked fibrosin bodies, and measured 31.2 to 42 (36.2) × 8.7 to 11.2 (10.5) μm. The teleomorph was not observed. Genomic DNA was extracted from infected leaves; sequences of the internal transcribed spacers (ITS) inclusive of 5.8S rDNA were amplified using previously described primers specific for Erysiphales (3). The ITS sequences shared 100% homology to Erysiphe heraclei specimen VPRI41227 from carrot in Australia (GenBank Accession No. EU371725). On the basis of the morphological characteristics observed and the ITS rDNA sequences, the pathogen was identified as E. heraclei DC. The ITS sequence was deposited in NCBI as Accession No. GU252368. Pathogenicity tests were conducted twice on a total of 10 healthy 8-week-old carrot plants cv. Nantesa. Infected plants were placed in close proximity to healthy plants and maintained in a greenhouse at 27 ± 5°C. Initial signs and symptoms were observed 3 weeks after inoculation and appeared as small, white colonies, which later coalesced and covered most of the foliage. Microscopic examination of the conidia and mycelial morphology matched the originally described pathogen, E. heraclei. Powdery mildew caused by this pathogen has been extensively reported on diverse species and genera of the Apiaceae in Europe and remains one of the most important diseases of carrot (2). The appearance of E. heraclei in diverse regions on a variety of umbelliferous crops indicates that formae speciales have spread, infecting different and specific hosts (1–3). Recently, E. heraclei has been reported on parsley in Puebla, Mexico (4). To our knowledge, this is the first report of E. heraclei causing powdery mildew on carrot in Michoacan, Mexico. This pathogen should be considered as a threat to commercial carrot crops in Mexico. Other crops in the Apiaceae may not be at risk in this area if this powdery mildew is specific for carrots. References: (1) B. J. Aegerter. Page 22 in: Compendium of Umbelliferous Crop Diseases. The American Phytopathological Society, St. Paul, MN, 2002. (2) U. Braun. The Powdery Mildew (Erysiphales) of Europe. Gustav Fischer-Verlag. Jena, Germany, 1995. (3) J. H. Cunnington et al. Australas. Plant Pathol. 32:421, 2003. (4) M. J. Yáñez-Morales et al. Schlechtendalia 19:47, 2009.


Plant Disease ◽  
2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hugo Beltrán-Peña ◽  
Ruben Felix-Gastelum ◽  
Moises Camacho-Tapia ◽  
Kamila C. Correia ◽  
Gabriel Herrera-Rodriguez ◽  
...  

Leucophyllum frutescens (Scrophulariaceae family), commonly known as Texas sage or cenizo, is an evergreen shrub native to southwestern United States and northern Mexico. This plant is commercially sold as a native, drought-tolerant ornamental. During the spring of 2019 and 2020, typical symptoms of powdery mildew were found on cenizo plants growing as ornamentals in urban areas in the municipality of Ahome, Sinaloa, Mexico. Disease incidence was 95% from a sampled population of 120 plants. Initial symptoms of powdery mildew developed as irregular white colonies on upper leaf surfaces which expanded as infections progressed. In severe infections, leaves became distorted, exhibiting premature defoliation. Microscopic examination showed nipple-shaped appressoria. Conidiophores (n= 30) were hyaline, cylindrical, erect, 89.4 to 134.2 μm long, and forming catenescent conidia. Foot-cells were cylindrical, 35.7 to 65.3 × 10.2 to 13.5 μm, followed by 1–3 shorter cells. Conidia (n= 100) were hyaline, ellipsoid to ovoid, 27.9 to 40.5 × 13.8 to 18.9 μm, containing distinct fibrosin bodies. Germ tubes were simple to forked and laterally produced from the middle of conidia. Chasmothecia were not found during the sampling period on the infected leaves. Based on morphological characteristics, the fungus was identified as Podosphaera xanthii (Braun and Cook 2012). A voucher specimen (accession no. FAVF219) was deposited in the Herbarium of the Faculty of Agronomy of El Fuerte Valley at the Autonomous University of Sinaloa (Juan Jose Rios, Sinaloa, Mexico). To further confirm the identification, total DNA was extracted, and the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region was amplified by PCR using the primers ITS5/ITS4 (White et al. 1990) and sequenced. The resulting 503 bp sequence (GenBank accession no. MT624793) had 100% coverage and 100% identity to those of P. xanthii (MT568609–MT568611, MT472035, MT309699, MT250855, MT242593). A phylogenetic tree using the maximum parsimony (MP) and maximum likelihood (ML) methods and including published ITS sequences for Podosphaera species was obtained. Phylogenetic analyses revealed that ITS sequence from FAVF219 isolate was grouped into a clade with P. xanthii. Pathogenicity was demonstrated by gently dusting conidia from infected leaves onto 50 leaves of five healthy plants. Five non-inoculated plants served as controls. All plants were covered with polyethylene bags for 48 h to maintain high humidity and were maintained in a greenhouse at temperatures ranging from 20 to 35ºC. All inoculated plants developed similar symptoms to the original observations after 19 days, whereas no symptoms of powdery mildew were observed on control plants. The fungus present on the inoculated plants was morphologically identical to that originally observed on diseased plants, fulfilling Koch’s postulates. This fungus has been reported infecting members of the Cucurbitaceae in Mexico (Félix-Gastélum et al. 2017; Farr and Rossman 2020). However, to our knowledge, this is the first report of P. xanthii causing powdery mildew on a member of Scrophulariaceae, specifically L. frutescens in Mexico and worldwide. Further studies for monitoring and control strategies of powdery mildew on Texas sage are required.


Plant Disease ◽  
2001 ◽  
Vol 85 (12) ◽  
pp. 1292-1292 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. J. Marois ◽  
M. T. Momol ◽  
J. W. Kimbrough ◽  
R. C. Hochmuth ◽  
W. Dankers

In December 1999, typical signs of powdery mildew-dense white mycelium in irregular patterns often covering almost the entire upper surface of leaves-were observed in production greenhouses on tomato cv. Tradiro. Microscopic observations revealed mycelium with lobed appressoria and large, approximately cylindrical conidia that measured 38 to 45 × 16 to18 μm. Short germ tubes were at one end of the conidium and ended in a lobed appressorium. Conidiophores were straight with cylindrical foot-cells (≈40 to 42 μm), followed by two short cells (14 to18 μm). Based on these characteristics the fungus was identified as 0idium neolycopersici Kiss et al. (2) (formerly O. lycopersicum Braun [1]). Disease-free tomato cv. FL47 plants were inoculated at the fourth true-leaf stage with conidia by transferring fungal colonies collected from plants in production greenhouses with a single-edged razor blade to the adaxial surface of the test plants (six plants and three leaves per plant). Plants were grown in the greenhouse at 20 to 25°C. Powdery mildew, exhibiting the same morphological features, was observed 12 days later on inoculated tomato leaves. Powdery mildew on tomatoes in Suwannee Valley area greenhouses in Florida was quite common and severe in 1999 to 2000. Secondary cycles of the disease were observed, resulting in disease incidence up to 50 to 60% in some greenhouses, requiring repeated applications of sulfur for its management. This disease is expected to become a significant problem in greenhouse tomatoes, requiring regular disease control measures. This powdery mildew has not yet been observed in field-grown tomatoes in Florida. The pathogen has been reported in Connecticut on tomatoes grown under greenhouse and field conditions (3). To our knowledge, this is the first report of O. neolycopersici on greenhouse-grown tomatoes in Florida. References: (1) U. Braun. The Powdery Mildews (Erysiphales) of Europe. Gustav Fisher Verlag, New York, 1995. (2) L. Kiss et al. Mycol. Res. 105:684, 2001. (3) J. A. LaMondia et al. Plant Dis. 83:341, 1999.


Plant Disease ◽  
2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dandan Xu ◽  
Yani Zeng ◽  
Jianfan Zhang ◽  
Jiehua Xu ◽  
Fang Qiao

Crape jasmine (Tabernaemontana divaricata) is a popular flowering shrub widely grown in southern China. Its leaves and roots are used in Chinese traditional medicine. In December, 2019, powdery mildew symptoms were observed on five crape jasmine shrubs on the campus of Shenzhen Polytechnic (22°35’N; 113°56’E), in Guangdong province. Approximately 45% of leaves were infected. Symptoms initially appeared as circular to irregular white patches on the leaf petiole, and subsequently coalesced to develop into abundant hyphal growth on both sides of the leaves, which soon wilted. Hyphae were septate, branched, with simple kidney-shaped to moderately lobed appressoria. Conidia formed singly, ellipsoid-ovoid to subcylindrical, 27-37 × 14-20 μm (mean 32±2.5 × 17±1.6 μm), with a length/width ratio varying from 1.3 to 2.4. Conidiophores were erect, unbranched, consisted of two cells, 60 to 84 μm long (mean 73±4 μm), and with straight to severely kinked cylindrical foot-cells at the base, 29-35 × 3-7 μm (mean 32±3 × 6±2 μm). Chasmothecia were not observed on sampled plants. These morphological characteristics were typical to the conidial stage of the genus Erysiphe (Braun and Cook, 2012). For molecular identification, genomic DNA was extracted from conidia washed from infected leaves and using Fungal DNA Kit (Omega Bio-tek Inc., Guangzhou, China). Semi-nested PCR amplification of the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region of rDNA was conducted by using primer sets P3 (Kusaba et al., 1995)/ITS5 and ITS5/ITS4 (White et al., 1990) for the first and second reactions, respectively. BLASTn analysis of the obtained 719 bp sequence (GenBank Accession No. MT802112) showed 99.7% identity with those of E. elevata (KY660910, MH985631, MK253282). On the basis of morphological and molecular analyses, the fungus was identified as Erysiphe elevata. To confirm pathogenicity, infected leaves were gently pressed onto healthy leaves of three healthy plants in separate pots, and three noninoculated plants were used as controls. All plants were maintained in a greenhouse at 25 ℃, and relative humidity of 50 to 65%. After 11 days, similar disease symptoms were observed on the inoculated plants while no symptoms developed on control plants. The fungus observed on the inoculated shrubs was identical morphologically to that o the original infected leaves. E. elevata is a common powdery mildew species infecting Catalpa spp. (Cook et al., 2006), Plumeria rubra (Wu et al., 2019; Yeh et al., 2019) and Eucalyptus camaldulensis (Meeboon and Takamatsu, 2017). However, no powdery mildew were found on P. rubra nearby. To our knowledge, this is the first report of this fungus infecting T. divaricata.


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