Abstract
A description is provided for Cercospora kikuchii. Information is included on the disease caused by the organism, its transmission, geographical distribution, and hosts. HOSTS: Glycine max, Phaseolus spp., Cyamopsis tetragonoloba, Vigna. DISEASE: Purple seed stain (also purple blotch, purple stain or purple speck) of soyabean Infection has also been reported on other legumes, including bean (cowpea) and cluster bean or guar (35, 861; 42, 69). The most characteristic symptom is the light to dark purple colour of the seed coat, the whole of which can be affected, and which shows cracking. Other species of Cercospora cause this purple staining of soyabean seed when pods are inoculated (35, 861; 39, 68) but these are not apparently of importance in the field. Seed germination may not be greatly reduced but infected seeds develop into weak seedlings (sometimes there is a slow death) and less productive plants. Reddish-purple spots, becoming angular to irregular, up to 1 cm diam., occur on the leaves; stems are also infected (4, 714; 29, 489; 30, 503). GEOGRAPHICAL DISTRIBUTION: Widespread with host. TRANSMISSION: Through seed; infection of seed is lowest before maturity and can rise to 50% at maturity and to higher levels thereafter (36, 569). Plants whose maturity is delayed (and where the flowering period is longer) tend to show more seed infection (45, 3447). Infection of the seed reduced germination in a blotter test and in the field; the fungus can occur in seeds that show no purple staining (52, 1735).