Pitaya, Hylocereus costaricensis, is a species of the Cactaceae family and originated in the Americas (Ortiz & Livera, 1995). It has been cultivated in Brazil and has shown a great potential for fruit production and is currently present in several markets (Faleiro et al. 2021). In July 2018, infected plants of pitaya with symptoms of anthracnose were obtained from an orchard in Fortaleza, Ceará Brazil, (3°44'24.5"S 38°34'30.8"W), with 50% disease incidence. The symptoms observed consisted of well-defined and depressed stains, that initially appeared as reddish-orange spots and were surrounded by a border of dark-brown color. As the lesion progressed, the center became light brown or whitish in color, with black dots appearing later. Four cladodes were collected with anthracnose symptoms. The pathogen was isolated from symptomatic cladodes, which were surface disinfected with 1% v/v NaClO and 70% v/v ethanol, rinsed with sterile distilled water, transferred onto potato dextrose agar (PDA) medium and incubated under a light/dark (12h/12h) photoperiod. Two isolates were recovered from the lesions on cladodes. Pure cultures were obtained from single conidia produced on colonies grown on PDA medium, using an inoculation needle under a microscope. Colonies on PDA exhibited white aerial mycelia with an orange conidial mass. The colonies were light grey in the front and light orange in the reverse of the plate. Morphological features suggested that the isolates had the same characteristics as previously described for Colletotrichum spp. (Weir et al., 2012). In order to identify the species of the isolates, the genomic DNA of UFCM 0684 and UFCM 0685 isolates was extracted using the CTAB method and the ITS region, TUB2, ACT, GS, GAPDH gene fragments were amplified. PCR products were sequenced and the resulting sequences were submitted to phylogenetic analyses based on maximum likelihood for the combination of the genes. The isolates grouped within Colletotrichum tropicale with 99% bootstrap support. The sequences obtained in this study were deposited in GenBank as ACT (accession no. OL799311, OL799312), TUB2 (OL799313; OL799314), GAPDH (OL799315, OL799316), GS (OL799317; OL799318) and ITS (OL799319; OL799320). After that, the UFCM 0685 isolate was selected to study for further characterization. Conidia (n = 50) were 13.7 (length) × 4.7 μm (width) in average, hyaline, aseptate and cylindrical. To complete Koch's postulates, pathogenicity tests were performed in moist chamber for one week at 25°C with 80% relative humidity on a 12 h fluorescent light/dark photoperiod. The cladodes were wounded using a sterilized needle and inoculated with 10 µl of a conidial suspension (1 × 106 conidia/ml) on three cladodes with five wounds each. The same number of uninoculated cladode was used as control. The experiment was performed twice. Two weeks later, all inoculated cladodes showed necrotic symptoms, which were similar to the symptoms previously observed in the field. The uninoculated cladode remained symptomless. The fungus was reisolated from the inoculated cladode and its morphological characteristics were similar to the original isolate. Colletotrichum tropicale has been reported to cause anthracnose on H. costaricensis in Mexico (Nunez-Garcia et al. 2023), H. undatus, H. monocanthus and H. megalanthus (Evallo et al. 2022). For the best of our knowledge, this is the first report of anthracnose caused by C. tropicale in H. costaricensis in Brazil.

Postharvest diseases compromise banana quality and cause high economic losses in Brazil. Among them, the crown rot prevails and its causal agents belong to distinct fungal species such as Colletotrichum musae (Berk. & Curt.) von Arx, Fusarium spp., and Lasiodiplodia theobromae (Pat.) Griff. & Maubl. (Griffee and Burden 1976; Ploetz et al. 2003). Symptoms of crown rot were observed on banana fruits of cv. Williams in a commercial area in Assu, Rio Grande do Norte, Brazil (04°54'0.06"S, 37°22'6.02"W) in 2017. The samples were collected, superficially disinfected with NaClO (2%), and incubated in a wet chamber at 25 °C, with a 12 h photoperiod, for approximately 3 days. After the appearance of disease symptoms and pathogen signs, mycelia were transferred from the lesions to obtain pure cultures on a potato dextrose agar (PDA) medium. Thus, a monosporic culture was obtained (isolate BAN82). The fungus produced pycnidia with conidia on potato carrot agar (PCA) culture medium containing pine needles, after four weeks of incubation at 28 °C. The conidia were hyaline when immature and brown with central transverse septum when mature. The presence of conidiogenous cells, paraphyses, and conidiophores also were observed. The conidia present ovoid format measuring 20-28 x 11-14 µm (n=50). The fungal colony produced abundant aerial mycelia of mouse grey coloration, progressing to dark mouse grey (Rayner 1970), on PDA for 15 days to 28 °C. The growth rate was 29.3 mm/day on PDA. The genomic DNA was extracted and amplified PCR with primers TEF1-688F/TEF1-1251R, ITS1/ITS4, and Bt2a/Bt2b and sequenced in both directions. The TEF1 and TUB2 sequences showed 100%, and the ITS showed 93.06% identity with the sequences of Lasiodiplodia brasiliensis (GenBank accession numbers: ON623895, TEF1, ON623896, TUB2, and ON599012, ITS. Multiple alignments of the combined dataset of the isolate and representative sequences obtained from GenBank were submitted phylogenetic analyses to bayesian inference (IB) with posterior probabilities of 10,000,000 generations. The morphological characteristics together with multigenic analysis of the three genomic regions made it possible to identify the BAN82 isolate as Lasiodiplodia brasiliensis, showing bootstrap support of posterior probabilities of 0,98 in the IB analysis. The pathogenicity was evaluated on 16 banana fruits from cv. Prata Catarina, at the point of harvest. For inoculation, the bananas were disinfected with water, soap, and, NaClO (2%). Posteriorly, the fruits were wounded on both ends, followed by the deposition of 5mm diameter mycelial plugs from the fungal culture, within 7 days of the growth. After the inoculation, the fruits were incubated in plastic boxes in a wet chamber at 25 °C, with 12 h photoperiod, for 3 days. To complete Koch's postulates, the isolate was inoculated again into 16 other banana fruits from cv. Prata Catarina. The negative control fruits were not inoculated with the pathogen, only with PDA discs. The BAN82 isolate was pathogenic to the banana cv. Prata Catarina. In the Brazilian Northeast, L. brasiliensis was described in 2014 as being associated with papaya stem rot. Up to the moment, there are no reports of L. brasiliensis as the causal agent of crown rot on bananas from Brazil (Netto et al. 2014; Farr and Rossman 2022). Thus, our work is the first to report L. brasiliensis causing crown rot on banana fruits cv. Prata Catarina in Brazil.

Banana is a fruit of great importance in Brazil and crown rot cause considerable damage and losses (Ploetz et al. 2003). The disease is associated with fungal complexes, especially the Lasiodiplodia theobromae sensu lato (Kamel et al. 2016; Renganathan et al. 2020; Waliullah et al. 2022). Three asymptomatic bunches of banana cv. 'Prata Catarina' were collected in Russas, Brazil (04°58'11.6"S, 38°01'44.5"W), in 2017. The samples were disinfected (NaClO, 200 ppm), and incubated in a moist chamber at 28 °C, with 12 h light/12 h dark for 3 days. With the appearance of the symptoms (32% of severity), the isolation was conducted in potato dextrose agar (PDA). A monosporic culture (BAN14) was obtained from a typical crown rot lesion, which was subjected to morphological characterization, showing abundant aerial mycelium of olivaceous grey color on the surface and greenish grey on the back (Rayner 1970) in PDA after 15 days at 28 °C. The growth rate was 28.2 mm. day-1. The fungus produced pycnidia and conidia on water agar medium containing pine needles, with 3-4 weeks at 28 °C, presenting conidia initially aseptate, subglobose to subcylindrical, becoming pigmented with 1-central transverse septum and longitudinal striations 23.5 (18.7) 26.0 x 12.7 (9.7) 14.8 µm (n=50). Paraphyses, hyaline, cylindrical, thin-walled, apparently coenocytic with rounded apex, with length and width dimensions of 34 (43.8) 53.2 x 2.1 (2.5) 3.2 µm (n=30). Conidiophore absent, conidiogenous cells hyaline, smooth and with thin walls. The genomic DNA was extracted and amplified by PCR with primers TEF1-688F/TEF1-1251R, ITS1/ITS4, and Bt2a/Bt2b, and sequenced in both directions (O'Donnell et al. 1998; O'Donnell et al. 2010) (GenBank accession ON975017 [TEF1], ON986403 [TUB2], and ON921398 [ITS]). BLASTn analysis of TEF1, TUB2 and ITS sequences in NCBI database showed 99 to 100% nucleotide identity to a representative isolate of Lasiodiplodia iraniensis (IRAN921). Phylogenetic analysis using maximum parsimony based on the combined TEF1, TUB2 and ITS sequences indicated that the BAN14 formed a supported clade (82% bootstrap value) to L. iraniensis. The pathogenicity was evaluated in 20 banana fruit cv. 'Prata Catarina', at the point of harvest. For inoculation, the bananas were washed with water and soap, and disinfected with NaClO (200 ppm). Posteriorly, two wounds were made on the extremities of the fruits, in which were deposited mycelial discs of 5 mm in diameter, with 7 days of the growth on PDA. After inoculation, the fruits were incubated in plastic boxes in a wet chamber at 25 °C, with 12 h light/12 h dark for 5 days. The control fruits were not inoculated with the pathogen, only with PDA discs. The experiments were repeat twice. The BAN14 isolate was pathogenic to the banana cv. 'Prata Catarina'. The BAN14 was grouped with the species L. iraniensis described by Abdollahzadeh et al. (2010) in Iran. This species is distributed in Asia, South and North America, Australia, and Africa. In Brazil it was reported in association to Anacardium occidentale, Annona muricata, A. squamosa, Annona ×cherimola-squamosa, Citrus sp., Eucalyptus sp., Jatropha curcas, Mangifera indica, Manihot esculenta, Nopalea cochenillifera, Vitis sp. and V. vinifera. Until the moment, there is not description of the relation between banana crown rot and L. iraniensis (Farr and Rossman 2022). Our work is the first report on the pathogenicity of this species on banana fruit cv. 'Prata Catarina' worldwide.

Banana (Musa spp.) is the second most-consumed fruit in Brazil, the fourth-largest producer globally, with 7 million tons in 2021 (IBGE 2021). Studies about the morphological and pathogenic characteristics revealed that the etiology of Fusarium wilt in banana cultivars in Brazil had been related to the Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. cubense (Foc) (E.F. Smith) Snyder and Hansen species (Costa et al. 2015; Cordeiro et al. 2016; Araújo et al. 2017). Phylogenetic studies have shown the existence of distinct genetic lineages for Foc, which has come to be called the Fusarium oxysporum Species Complex (FOSC) (O'Donnell et al. 1998; Maryani et al. 2019). Symptoms of Fusarium wilt were observed in banana trees at the headquarters of Embrapa Roraima (02°45'26.89"N and 60°43'52.78"W), Roraima-Brazil, in 2016. Samples were collected and sterilized with 70% ethanol for 30 s, followed by 3% NaClO for 1 min, rinsed three times in sterile distilled water, seeded on potato dextrose agar (PDA), and incubated at 25 °C for three days. Two isolates obtained from a pure culture (LPPC130) were submitted to the morphological characterization by Leslie and Summerell (2006) protocol. The fungal colony showed vinaceous color, progressing to livid red (Rayner 1970), with a mean diameter of 41 mm (± 0.1) at three days of incubation in a PDA culture medium. The fungus produced abundant macroconidia in spezieller nährstoffarmer agar (SNA) culture medium containing clove leaf (CLA) after 14 days of incubation at 25 °C. The sporodochium conidia presented a falcate shape, moderately curved, with 3 to 5 septa and dimensions ranging from 38.8 (48.0) 56.2 x 3.5 (4.4) 6.0 µm (n=50). The conidia of the aerial mycelium presented ovoid to ellipsoid shape, slightly curved, aseptic, measuring 6.0 (12.0) 18.0 x 2.8 (3.3) 5.0 µm (n=50). The genomic DNA of the isolate was extracted (Murray and Thompson 1980), and fragments of the elongation factor 1-α (TEF1) and RNA Polymerase II (RPB2) gene regions were amplified and sequenced in both directions (O'Donnell et al. 1998; O'Donnell et al. 2010) (GenBank accession numbers: Seq1 OL802918 and Seq2 OL802919). Multiple alignments of the combined dataset of the isolates and representative sequences obtained from GenBank were submitted to phylogenetic analysis with 1,000 bootstrap replicates. The micromorphological characteristics together to phylogenetic inference on the TEF1 and RPB2 genes, allowed a robust analysis, generating 42 more parsimonious trees and making it possible to identify the LPPC130 isolate as Fusarium kalimantanense, a species belonging to the F. oxysporum species complex (FOSC), with 100% bootstrap support (Maryani et al. 2019). The pathogenicity of the isolate was evaluated in five micropropagated seedlings of banana cv. Silk 75 days old, grown in pots with 5 kg of sterile formulation of sand and soil, in 1:1. Seedlings were inoculated by wounding the roots and depositing a suspension of conidia and chlamydospores at 105 spores mL-1. The inoculating of the isolate in 35 micropropagated seedlings of banana was based on Koch's postulates. The seedlings were transplanted into plastic bags (2 kg of sterile formulation: sandy soil and substrate, in 2:1) and inoculated with 10 mL of the chlamydospore suspension (107 CFU mL-1) at transplanting, and after 30 days of transplanting. Seedlings treated only with water were used as control. Evaluation of the symptoms of the disease was carried out 90 days after inoculation, and revealed that the isolate (LPPC130) was pathogenic by inducing the same symptoms of Fusarium wilt. F. kalimantanense was first reported associated with the pseudostems of Musa acuminata var. Pisang Ambon, and proved to be non-pathogenic to cv. Gros Michel and the bananas of the Cavendish group (Maryani et al. 2019). In Brazil, this fungus was recently associated with the Fusarium rot on melon fruits (Araújo et al. 2021); however, this is the first report of its pathogenicity in banana trees cv. Silk.

HomePlant DiseaseVol. 103, No. 7First Report of Cophinforma atrovirens Causing Stem Rot and Dieback of Cashew Plants in Brazil PreviousNext DISEASE NOTESFirst Report of Cophinforma atrovirens Causing Stem Rot and Dieback of Cashew Plants in BrazilJ. E. Cardoso, W. L. Fonseca, F. M. P. Viana, M. A. Ootani, F. S. A. Araújo, S. O. S. Brasil, A. L. M. Mesquita, and C. S. LimaJ. E. Cardoso†Corresponding author: J. E. Cardoso; E-mail Address: [email protected]http://orcid.org/0000-0002-2844-8451Embrapa Agroindústria Tropical, Caixa Postal 3761, CEP 6060511-110, Fortaleza, Ceará, BrazilSearch for more papers by this author, W. L. FonsecaEmbrapa Agroindústria Tropical, Caixa Postal 3761, CEP 6060511-110, Fortaleza, Ceará, BrazilSearch for more papers by this author, F. M. P. VianaEmbrapa Agroindústria Tropical, Caixa Postal 3761, CEP 6060511-110, Fortaleza, Ceará, BrazilSearch for more papers by this author, M. A. OotaniEmbrapa Agroindústria Tropical, Caixa Postal 3761, CEP 6060511-110, Fortaleza, Ceará, BrazilSearch for more papers by this author, F. S. A. AraújoEmbrapa Agroindústria Tropical, Caixa Postal 3761, CEP 6060511-110, Fortaleza, Ceará, BrazilSearch for more papers by this author, S. O. S. BrasilEmbrapa Agroindústria Tropical, Caixa Postal 3761, CEP 6060511-110, Fortaleza, Ceará, BrazilSearch for more papers by this author, A. L. M. MesquitaEmbrapa Agroindústria Tropical, Caixa Postal 3761, CEP 6060511-110, Fortaleza, Ceará, BrazilSearch for more papers by this author, and C. S. Limahttp://orcid.org/0000-0003-3214-5901Departamento de Fitotecnia, Universidade Federal do Ceará, Campus do Pici, CEP 60356-001, Fortaleza, Ceará, BrazilSearch for more papers by this authorAffiliationsAuthors and Affiliations J. E. Cardoso1 † W. L. Fonseca1 F. M. P. Viana1 M. A. Ootani1 F. S. A. Araújo1 S. O. S. Brasil1 A. L. M. Mesquita1 C. S. Lima2 1Embrapa Agroindústria Tropical, Caixa Postal 3761, CEP 6060511-110, Fortaleza, Ceará, Brazil 2Departamento de Fitotecnia, Universidade Federal do Ceará, Campus do Pici, CEP 60356-001, Fortaleza, Ceará, Brazil Published Online:10 May 2019https://doi.org/10.1094/PDIS-09-18-1574-PDNAboutSectionsSupplemental ToolsAdd to favoritesDownload CitationsTrack Citations ShareShare onFacebookTwitterLinked InRedditEmailWechat Cashew tree (Anacardium occidentale L.) is a plant of great economic and social importance for northeastern Brazil. In 2015, while conducting a survey in a newly established 90-ha cashew orchard in Barra do Corda, State of Maranhão (05°30′20″S; 45°14′36″W), a shoot and stem rot followed by dieback symptoms were observed in about 30% of plants (CP 76 and BRS 189 clonal cultivars). Isolations from infected tissues revealed a whitish, cottony fungal colony, which later turned gray on potato dextrose agar (PDA). Upon the absence of sporulation under PDA media, mycelial disks from the edge of the colony were transferred to autoclaved fruits of custard apple (Annona squamosa) and incubated at 25°C (Cardoso et al. 2002). Pycnidia were observed after 4 weeks of incubation over the surface of entire fruits. Conidia were hyaline, unicellular, fusiform, and truncated at the base when newly formed, and 33.95 to 53.44 (avg. 47.38) μm in length and 9.13 to 11.47 (avg. 10.59) μm in width (n = 50). No sexual structure was observed. Genomic DNA was extracted from mycelia and the fragments of the genomic regions of the rDNA internal transcribed spacers (ITS), β-tubulin (TUB2), and the translation elongation factor 1-α (EF-1α) were amplified by PCR using primers ITS1/ITS4, βT2a/βT2b, and EF1-688F/EF1-1251R, respectively (Coutinho et al. 2017). The PCR products were sequenced and the sequences obtained were deposited in GenBank under the accession numbers MF521897 (ITS), MF538773 (βT), and MG209371 (EF1). Multiple alignments of the combined data set of the genomic regions and representative sequences obtained from GenBank were submitted to phylogenetic analysis of maximum parsimony (MP) and maximum likelihood (ML) and the tree topology tested by the bootstrap method with 1,000 replicates. For the phylogenetic tree, the isolated fungus (BOT456) was grouped in a clade with isolates CMM 1390, CBS 117444, and CMW 13433 of Cophinforma atrovirens with 100% bootstrap support for MP and ML (Dissanayake et al. 2016; Phillips et al. 2013). Morphological and molecular information presented in this study confirmed this species as C. atrovirens. The pathogenicity was evaluated in cashew tree seedlings (clone BRS 189) by injecting a conidial suspension (6.96 × 105 conidia ml−1) into young shoots with insulin syringe. Five inoculated plants and five noninoculated plants (injected with sterile distilled water as control) were kept in a greenhouse at 28°C under natural sunlight and irrigated daily. The onset of symptoms was observed 3 days after inoculation, evolving to complete rot and decaying death of the shoots at 7 days. A fungus with the same morphological characteristics as the original isolate was successfully reisolated from infected tissues, confirming Koch’s postulates. C. atrovirens is a fungus of the Botyosphaeriaceae family, which has been reported in association with dieback and cankers in woody plants (Dissanayake et al. 2016; Phillips et al. 2013). The presence of this pathogen in a cashew-growing region, which is commonly subject to water stress, poses a threat to cashew industry development. This is the first report of C. atrovirens on cashew plants in Brazil.The author(s) declare no conflict of interest.References:Cardoso, J. E., et al. 2002. Plant Dis. 86:558. https://doi.org/10.1094/PDIS.2002.86.5.558B Link, ISI, Google ScholarCoutinho, I. B. L., et al. 2017. Plant Pathol. 66:90. https://doi.org/10.1111/ppa.12565 Crossref, ISI, Google ScholarDissanayake, A. J., et al. 2016. Mycosphere 7:1001. https://doi.org/10.5943/mycosphere/si/1b/13 Crossref, ISI, Google ScholarPhillips, A. J. L., et al. 2013. Stud. Mycol. 76:51. https://doi.org/10.3114/sim0021 Crossref, ISI, Google ScholarThe author(s) declare no conflict of interest.DetailsFiguresLiterature CitedRelated Vol. 103, No. 7 July 2019SubscribeISSN:0191-2917e-ISSN:1943-7692 DownloadCaptionApple cultivar Joya Cripps Red lesions caused by Colletotrichum fructicola (Nodet et al.). Photo credit: P. Nodet. Symptoms of Lotus powdery mildew caused by Erysiphe takamatsui (Zhou et al.). Photo credit: C. Liang. Symptoms of tar spot (Phyllachora maydis) on maize leaves (Dalla Lana et al.). Photo credit: F. Dalla Lana. Metrics Article History Issue Date: 20 Jun 2019Published: 10 May 2019First Look: 7 Mar 2019Accepted: 19 Feb 2019 Pages: 1772-1772 Information© 2019 The American Phytopathological SocietyKeywordsfungifruittree fruitspathogen detectionThe author(s) declare no conflict of interest.Cited byFungal Pathogens of Cacao in Puerto Rico15 November 2023 | Plants, Vol. 12, No. 22Disease-Causing Agents in Cashew: A Review in a Tropical Cash Crop18 October 2022 | Agronomy, Vol. 12, No. 10Fungal endophytic community associated with Hevea spp.: diversity, enzymatic activity, and biocontrol potential5 March 2022 | Brazilian Journal of Microbiology, Vol. 53, No. 2

Cashew powdery mildew is presently the most important disease of cashew trees in all Brazilian growing regions. Although it was described over a century ago, it had never threatened the Brazilian cashew industry until the first decade of the 21st century. Morphological and pathogenic evidence indicated the possibility of different pathogen species being involved in early and late types of cashew powdery mildew. This study was designed to elucidate this issue by comparing two different powdery mildew fungi occurring on cashew plants in Brazil according to the morphological characteristics, phylogenetic relationships with closely related powdery mildew fungi and pathogenic relationships. Based on morphology, molecular phylogenetics and pathogenicity on cashew, it was shown that two species of powdery mildew specimens are without question associated with cashew trees. One species, which infects young immature tissues such as shiny leaves, flowers and young fruits, is Erysiphe quercicola, while Erysiphe necator is associated exclusively with mature leaves. This is the first report of both E. quercicola and E. necator causing cashew powdery mildew, and the first detection of E. necator on cashew.

Until now, only Lasiodiplodia theobromae has been reported in association with gummosis and dieback of cashew plants and other tropical fruit plants in northeastern Brazil. This study aims to identify and characterize species of Lasiodiplodia associated with gummosis and dieback on tropical fruit plants grown in Ceará, Paraíba, Pernambuco, Piauí and Rio Grande do Norte States in northeastern Brazil with a description of two new species: Lasiodiplodia caatinguensis sp. nov. and Lasiodiplodia pontae sp. nov. Fungal identification was accomplished using a combination of morphophysiological and pathogenic characteristics, together with phylogenetic analyses based on partial translation elongation factor 1‐α sequence ( TEF 1‐α ), internal transcribed spacer ( ITS ) and β‐tubulin ( β‐tub ). Six species of Lasiodiplodia were identified as being associated with several tropical fruit species: Lasiodiplodia brasiliense ( Manilkara zapota , Mangifera indica and Spondias purpurea ), L. caatinguensis sp. nov. ( Anacardium occidentale , Citrus sinensis , S. purpurea and S. lutea ), L. euphorbicola ( Annona muricata and Cocos nucifera ), L. pontae sp. nov. ( A. occidentale and S. purpurea ), L. pseudotheobromae ( A. occidentale , S. purpurea and Tamarindus indica ) and L. theobromae ( A. occidentale , S. purpurea and Talisia esculenta ) . This is the first study to use molecular data of Lasiodiplodia taken from the stems and branches of Annona spp., A. occidentale , M. zapota , T. indica , T. esculenta and Spondias spp. After L. caatinguensis sp. nov., the species L. pseudotheobromae and L. theobromae were the second most frequent species. All identified species were able to cause necrotic lesions at different levels of severity when inoculated on mango fruits and young plants of Annona spp., cashew and Spondias spp.

HomePlant DiseaseVol. 102, No. 1First Report of Colletotrichum theobromicola and C. tropicale Causing Anthracnose on Fruits of Carnauba Palm in Brazil PreviousNext DISEASE NOTES OPENOpen Access licenseFirst Report of Colletotrichum theobromicola and C. tropicale Causing Anthracnose on Fruits of Carnauba Palm in BrazilM. B. M. Araújo, C. S. Lima, F. de A. C. Rabelo Filho, M. A. Ootani, A. M. E. Bezerra, and J. E. CardosoM. B. M. Araújo, C. S. Lima†Corresponding author: C. S. Lima; E-mail: E-mail Address: [email protected]http://orcid.org/0000-0003-3214-5901, F. de A. C. Rabelo Filho, M. A. Ootani, A. M. E. Bezerra, and J. E. CardosoAffiliationsAuthors and Affiliations M. B. M. Araújo C. S. Lima † F. de A. C. Rabelo Filho , Departamento de Fitotecnia, Universidade Federal do Ceará, Fortaleza, Ceará 60356-001, Brazil M. A. Ootani , Embrapa Agroindústria Tropical, Fortaleza, Ceará 60511-110, Brazil A. M. E. Bezerra , Departamento de Fitotecnia, Universidade Federal do Ceará, Fortaleza, Ceará 60356-001, Brazil J. E. Cardoso , Embrapa Agroindústria Tropical, Fortaleza, Ceará 60511-110, Brazil. Published Online:9 Nov 2017https://doi.org/10.1094/PDIS-06-17-0860-PDNAboutSectionsSupplemental ToolsAdd to favoritesDownload CitationsTrack Citations ShareShare onFacebookTwitterLinked InRedditEmailWechat The carnauba palm (Copernicia prunifera [Mill.] H.E.Moore) is used for the production of industrial and artisanal commodities (Gomes and Nascimento 2006). Between 1990 and 2006, the northeast region produced 66,067 t of carnauba wax (Alves and Coelho 2008). In a previous report, the etiology of anthracnose on carnauba palm fruits was attributed to C. gloeosporioides (Freire and Barguil 2009). This study aimed to characterize the etiological agents of anthracnose on carnauba fruits collected in Ceará State, Brazil. Carnauba fruits at physiological maturation stage (yellowish-green color), showing severe anthracnose symptoms, were collected in Bela Cruz, Caucaia, and Paraipaba municipalities. A representative isolate to each municipality was selected for the morphological, molecular, and pathogenic characterization (UFCM 0630-Caucaia; UFCM 0631-Bela Cruz; and UFCM 0632-Paraipaba). The isolates were grown on potato dextrose agar medium at 25°C and a 12-h photoperiod and the morphological characteristics were observed after 4 days of incubation. Fungal DNA of the isolates was extracted (Murray and Thompson 1980), and fragments of the ITS rDNA (ITS), actin (ACT), β-tubulin (TUB2), glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPDH), and glutamine synthetase (GS) genomic regions (Prihastuti et al. 2009) were amplified and sequenced in both directions (GenBank accession nos. MF289371–85). Multiple alignments of the combined dataset of the isolates and representative sequences obtained from GenBank were phylogenetically analyzed by neighbor-joining and bootstrap with 1,000 replicates. The pathogenicity of the isolates was assessed on carnauba (n = 10, yellowish-green stage) and mango cv. Tommy Atkins (n = 3, yellowish-orange stage) fruits, and on susceptible cashew plantlets (clone BRS 265) (n = 3, 120 days old). Wounded fruits were inoculated with 3-mm agar plugs containing mycelium of the isolates, while control treatments had only the agar. Spore suspensions (2 × 106 conidia ml−1) were sprayed on young leaves of the cashew plantlets, while only water was sprayed on control plants. The UFCM 0630 and UFCM 0632 isolates formed pale olive-gray aerial mycelium and olive-gray pigment in the back of the colonies. Conidia were cylindrical, 5.4 to 13.8 × 1.5 to 4.7 (mean = 9.0 × 2.9, n = 50) µm. Appressoria were subglobose to elliptical, 2.8 to 5.8 × 2.4 to 3.1 (mean = 4.8 × 2.8, n = 10) μm. The UFCM 0631 isolate formed dark gray aerial mycelium and dark greenish-gray pigment in the back of the colonies. Conidia were cylindrical, 13.0 to 17.5 × 2.3 to 5.5 (mean = 12.1 × 3.7, n = 50) µm. Appressoria were subglobose to clavate, 6.0 to 9.5 × 4.2 to 7.6 (mean = 7.8 × 5.9, n = 10) μm. In the phylogenetic tree, the isolates of C. prunifera grouped in two clades of the C. gloeosporioides species complex. UFCM 0630 and UFCM 0632 isolates grouped in C. tropicale and UFCM 0631 grouped in C. theobromicola with 100% bootstrap support to both clades. Koch's postulates were completed on inoculated carnauba fruits to all three isolates representing C. tropicale and C. theobromicola. Only UFCM 0630 and UFCM 0632 isolates were pathogenic to mango fruits and cashew plantlets. This study shows evidence that carnauba palm may serve as an alternative host of C. tropicale and inoculum source for mango and cashew anthracnose in orchards established near to natural areas of carnauba. To our knowledge, this is the first report of C. tropicale and C. theobromicola causing anthracnose on carnauba in Brazil.References:Alves, M. O., and Coelho, J. D. 2008. Banco Nordeste Brasil 20:214. Google ScholarFreire, F. das C. O., and Barguil, B. M. 2009. Summa Phytopathol. 35:68. https://doi.org/10.1590/S0100-54052009000100013 Crossref, Google ScholarGomes, J. M. A., and Nascimento, W. L. 2006. Page 190 in: Cadeia Produtiva da Cera de Carnaúba: Diagnóstico e Cenários. EDUFPI, Teresina, Piauí, Brazil. Google ScholarMurray, M. G., and Thompson, W. F. 1980. Nucleic Acids Res. 8:4321. https://doi.org/10.1093/nar/8.19.4321 Crossref, ISI, Google ScholarPrihastuti, H., et al. 2009. Fungal Divers. 39:89. ISI, Google ScholarDetailsFiguresLiterature CitedRelated Vol. 102, No. 1 January 2018SubscribeISSN:0191-2917e-ISSN:1943-7692 Metrics Article History Issue Date: 20 Dec 2017Published: 9 Nov 2017First Look: 13 Sep 2017Accepted: 9 Sep 2017 Page: 244 Information© 2018 The American Phytopathological SocietyCited byTwo additional Colletotrichum species causing leaf spot of rambutan ( Nephelium lappaceum )16 March 2023 | Archives of Phytopathology and Plant Protection, Vol. 102Pest categorisation of Colletotrichum aenigma, C. alienum, C. perseae, C. siamense and C. theobromicolaEFSA Journal, Vol. 20, No. 8Colletotrichum tropicaleCABI Compendium, Vol. CABI CompendiumColletotrichum theobromicolaCABI Compendium, Vol. CABI CompendiumA serious shoot and leaf disease caused by Colletotrichum theobromicola discovered on eucalypts in South Africa22 March 2022 | Southern Forests: a Journal of Forest Science, Vol. 84, No. 1Identification and characterisation of Colletotrichum fructicola, C. tropicale and C. theobromicola causing mango anthracnose in the Philippines19 August 2021 | Archives of Phytopathology and Plant Protection, Vol. 54, No. 19-20Colletotrichum species and complexes: geographic distribution, host range and conservation status29 September 2021 | Fungal Diversity, Vol. 110, No. 1First Report of Colletotrichum tropicale Causing Anthracnose on Pomegranate in BrazilJ. R. A. Silva-Cabral, L. R. L. Batista, J. F. de O. Costa, M. M. de M. Ferro, S. J. C. Silva, G. S. de A. Lima, and I. P. Assunção17 January 2019 | Plant Disease, Vol. 103, No. 3Diversity of pathogenic and endophytic Colletotrichum isolates from Licania tomentosa in Brazil30 May 2018 | Forest Pathology, Vol. 48, No. 6

HomePlant DiseaseVol. 101, No. 8First Report of Lasiodiplodia brasiliense Causing Postharvest Fruit Rot of Custard Apple (Annona squamosa) in Brazil PreviousNext DISEASE NOTES OPENOpen Access licenseFirst Report of Lasiodiplodia brasiliense Causing Postharvest Fruit Rot of Custard Apple (Annona squamosa) in BrazilJ. E. Cardoso, J. S. Lima, F. M. P. Viana, M. A. Ootani, F. S. A. Araújo, W. L. Fonseca, C. S. Lima, and M. V. V. MartinsJ. E. CardosoSearch for more papers by this author, J. S. LimaSearch for more papers by this author, F. M. P. VianaSearch for more papers by this author, M. A. OotaniSearch for more papers by this author, F. S. A. AraújoSearch for more papers by this author, W. L. FonsecaSearch for more papers by this author, C. S. LimaSearch for more papers by this author, and M. V. V. MartinsSearch for more papers by this authorAffiliationsAuthors and Affiliations J. E. Cardoso J. S. Lima F. M. P. Viana M. A. Ootani F. S. A. Araújo W. L. Fonseca C. S. Lima M. V. V. Martins , Embrapa Agroindústria Tropical, Caixa Postal 3761, CEP 6060511-110, Fortaleza, CE Brazil. Published Online:5 Jun 2017https://doi.org/10.1094/PDIS-03-17-0369-PDNAboutSectionsSupplemental ToolsAdd to favoritesDownload CitationsTrack Citations ShareShare onFacebookTwitterLinked InRedditEmailWechat Custard apple is a perennial tropical plant cultivated in Brazil for it fresh consumed fruit, which is commercially sold all over the country. Custard apple is a climacteric fruit so it is harvested and commercialized at an early maturation stage; therefore, it must be incubated for a few days to ensure ripening and consumption. Although it can be found in the market throughout the year, its production peaks during May to July in Northeast Brazil. In June 2016, in Aracoiaba County, Ceará State, Brazil, a fungal fruit rot was observed on approximately 20% of fruits within stored containers for wholesale market. Rotten fruits were taken to the Laboratory of Plant Pathology, Embrapa, to isolate the causal agent. Externally, symptoms were darkening of the grooves, beginning in the peduncle. The lesions expanded rapidly, reaching the entire fruit within 2 to 3 days. Internally, there was discoloration of the pulp, invading the whole fruit. Upon complete infection, which takes approximately 10 days, the whole fruit was covered with an intense mass of pycnidium immersed into a stromal fungal tissue. The fungus was isolated from symptomatic tissues, and cultivated on potato dextrose agar (PDA). The single fungal colony showed a white aerial mycelium that turned dark gray after incubation at 26°C for 1 week. Pycnidia were produced easily on pine needles immersed into 2% water agar under 12 h photoperiod at 26°C for 2 weeks. Conidia were hyaline at a young stage, thick-walled, and ovoid to ellipsoid with a round and slightly tapered apex, continuing with the same form when mature, dark brown color, and with longitudinal striations and one single septum. Measurements of 50 conidia ranged from 20.21 to 27.28 µm in length and 10.44 to 16.70 µm in width. These morphological characteristics matched previous descriptions for Lasiodiplodia brasiliense (Netto et al. 2014). The sequencing of the complete internal transcribed spacer rDNA (ITS), β-tubulin2 (βT), and translation elongation factor 1-α (EF1) genes regions after amplification by PCR using primers ITS1F/ITS4R, βT2a/ βT2b, and EF1-688F/EF1-1251R, respectively, confirmed the identity of the isolate. These sequences were deposited in GenBank as accession numbers KY643656 (ITS), KY711348 (βT2), and KY711349 (EF1-α). Nucleotide BLAST analysis showed a 100, 99, and 100% identity with L. brasiliense matching for ITS, βT2, and EF1-α, respectively. Pathogenicity tests were made by placing a 20 µl drop of a conidial suspension (2.8 × 105 conidia ml−1) on four fresh, unwounded immature fruits (cv. Crioula), two onto the peduncle and two directly onto the fruit surface. Four control fruits were inoculated in similar places with sterile distilled water. Similar symptoms began to be observed after 3 days only on fungus inoculated fruits, evolving to complete rot by 7 days after inoculation. Fruits inoculated on the peduncle developed symptoms faster than the ones inoculated directly on the fruit grooves, suggesting this to be the natural site of infection, but no distinctions were observed in the symptoms between inoculated sites. Isolation from inoculated fruits was done to confirm pathogenicity tests. This is the first report on L. brasiliense causing fruit rot of custard apple in Brazil. This disease requires sanitation measures during harvesting and handling to ensure an extended storage period, and monitoring its spread into other Brazilian regions.Reference:Netto, M. S. B., et al. 2014. Fungal Divers. 67:127. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13225-014-0279-4 Crossref, ISI, Google ScholarDetailsFiguresLiterature CitedRelated Vol. 101, No. 8 August 2017SubscribeISSN:0191-2917e-ISSN:1943-7692 Metrics Article History Issue Date: 12 Jul 2017Published: 5 Jun 2017First Look: 10 May 2017Accepted: 9 May 2017 Pages: 1542-1542 Information© 2017 The American Phytopathological SocietyCited byFungal Pathogens Associated with Aerial Symptoms of Avocado (Persea americana Mill.) in Tenerife (Canary Islands, Spain) Focused on Species of the Family Botryosphaeriaceae25 February 2023 | Microorganisms, Vol. 11, No. 3Lasiodiplodia brasiliensisCABI Compendium, Vol. CABI CompendiumPotential of microbial endophytes to enhance the resistance to postharvest diseases of fruit and vegetables15 October 2020 | Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture, Vol. 101, No. 5Botryosphaeriaceae species causing dieback on Annonaceae in Brazil1 July 2019 | Plant Pathology, Vol. 68, No. 7Phylogeny, Distribution, and Pathogenicity of Lasiodiplodia Species Associated With Cankers and Dieback Symptoms of Persian Lime in MexicoM. A. Bautista-Cruz, G. Almaguer-Vargas, S. G. Leyva-Mir, M. T. Colinas-León, K. C. Correia, M. Camacho-Tapia, L. Robles-Yerena, S. J. Michereff, and J. M. Tovar-Pedraza15 April 2019 | Plant Disease, Vol. 103, No. 6Australian cultures of Botryosphaeriaceae held in Queensland and Victoria plant pathology herbaria revisited4 May 2018 | Australasian Plant Pathology, Vol. 48, No. 1

HomePlant DiseaseVol. 100, No. 8First Report of a New Lineage in the Fusarium solani Species Complex Causing Root Rot on Sunn Hemp in Brazil PreviousNext DISEASE NOTES OPENOpen Access licenseFirst Report of a New Lineage in the Fusarium solani Species Complex Causing Root Rot on Sunn Hemp in BrazilM. P. Melo, J. E. A. Beserra Jr, K. S. Matos, C. S. Lima, and O. L. PereiraM. P. MeloSearch for more papers by this author, J. E. A. Beserra JrSearch for more papers by this author, K. S. MatosSearch for more papers by this author, C. S. LimaSearch for more papers by this author, and O. L. PereiraSearch for more papers by this authorAffiliationsAuthors and Affiliations M. P. Melo J. E. A. Beserra Jr , Departamento de Fitotecnia, Universidade Federal do Piauí-UFPI, 64049-550, Teresina, PI, Brasil K. S. Matos , Instituto Nacional de Pesquisas da Amazônia-INPA, 69060-001, Manaus, AM, Brasil C. S. Lima , Departamento de Fitotecnia, Universidade Federal do Ceará-UFC, 60356-001, Fortaleza, CE, Brasil O. L. Pereira , Departamento de Fitopatologia, Universidade Federal de Viçosa-UFV, 36570-900, Viçosa, MG, Brasil. Published Online:24 May 2016https://doi.org/10.1094/PDIS-08-15-0947-PDNAboutSectionsSupplemental ToolsAdd to favoritesDownload CitationsTrack Citations ShareShare onFacebookTwitterLinked InRedditEmailWechat Species of the genus Crotalaria L. are used as soil covering, green manure, and in the management of phytopathogenic nematodes. Crotalaria paulinea Schrank. plants showing wilt and root rot were identified and collected in Caucaia, Ceará, Brazil. Fifteen plants collected in a single field presented wilt symptoms. The plants showed root rot and were covered by reddish perithecia. The fungus was isolated from a cirrus of ascospores to each plant in 2% malt extract medium and the resulting culture was grown at 25°C. Carnation leaf piece agar (CLA), potato dextrose agar (PDA), and Spezieller Nährstoffarmer agar (SNA) media (Leslie and Summerell 2006) were used for morphological observations. The cultures were deposited in the Culture Collection of Phytopathogenic Fungi of the Universidade Federal Rural de Pernambuco, Recife, Brazil (CMM 1329 and CMM 1332). The anamorphs have typical white colonies of the genus Fusarium. The microconidia are unicellular and produced at the tips of long and branched monophialides, cylindrical and ellipsoid, hyaline, 6 to 18 µm long × 2 to 6 µm wide. Neither isolate produced macroconidia on SNA. Perithecia are orange to red, pyriform, with short neck, 127.9 to 187.5 × 95.7 to 112.2 µm. Asci are unitunicate, containing eight globe-like ascospores. Ascospores globose, unicellular, cylindrical, thick and rough walled, uniseriately arranged, 11.1 to 94.9 × 10.5 to 86.2 µm. The translation elongation factor (TEF1-α) and internal transcribed spacer (ITS) genes were amplified by PCR and sequenced. The nucleotide sequences were deposited in GenBank (KT365848 to KT365851). Maximum likelihood analysis was carried out using the sequences of the two genes from Fusarium sp. and other species from the Fusarium solani species complex (FSSC). Morphological characteristics indicated that the isolates are similar to F. neocosmosporiellum; however, phylogenetic analysis revealed a distinct clade (bootstrap 99%) close to F. neocosmosporiellum (≡ N. vasinfecta) and nested in the FSSC. C. paulinea seeds were used in a pathogenicity test. Agar plugs 3 mm in diameter from the Fusarium sp. were put 0.5 cm deep, and the seeds were subsequently deposited on the agar plugs and covered with a small portion of sterilized soil. Pots were kept in a greenhouse under temperatures of 25 to 32°C. The roots were evaluated 30 days after germination, and 80% of the inoculated plants showed symptoms including root system reduction, reddish roots, and darkening of internal tissues. No symptoms were observed among noninoculated plants. The fungus was reisolated from the diseased plants. There have been reports of F. neocosmoporiellum on soybean in the EUA and China (Gray et al. 1980) on peanuts in Taiwan (Huang et al. 1992), and on cowpeas, watermelon, and cotton in the United States (Smith 1899). This is the first report of a new lineage of Fusarium belonging to the FSSC causing root rot on C. paulinea.References:Gray, F. A., et al. 1980. Plant Dis. 64:321. Crossref, Google ScholarHuang, J. W., et al. 1992. Plant Pathol. 1:203. Google ScholarLeslie, J. F., and Summerell, B. A. 2006. The Fusarium Laboratory manual. Blackwell Publishing, Ames, IA. Crossref, Google ScholarSmith, E. F. 1899. Wilt disease of cotton, watermelon and cowpea (Neocosmospora nov. gen.). U. S. Department of Agriculture. G.P.O., Washington. Google ScholarDetailsFiguresLiterature CitedRelated Vol. 100, No. 8 August 2016SubscribeISSN:0191-2917e-ISSN:1943-7692 Metrics Article History Issue Date: 22 Jul 2016Published: 24 May 2016First Look: 6 Apr 2016Accepted: 21 Mar 2016 Page: 1784 Information© 2016 The American Phytopathological SocietyCited byHaematonectria haematococca (dry rot of potato)CABI Compendium, Vol. CABI CompendiumMolecular Diagnostics and Pathogenesis of Fungal Pathogens on Bast Fiber Crops18 March 2020 | Pathogens, Vol. 9, No. 3

Mango malformation is a serious disease in tropical and subtropical areas of the world and has been attributed to various Fusarium spp., including F. mangiferae, F. proliferatum, F. sacchari, F. sterilihyphosum and F. subglutinans. Isolates of Fusarium associated with mango malformation from Brazil, Egypt, India, South Africa and the United States were evaluated through amplified fragment length polymorphisms (AFLPs) and partial DNA sequences of the genes encoding beta-tubulin (tub2) and translation elongation factor 1-alpha (tef1). These techniques were used to delimit species and to estimate the genetic and phylogenetic relatedness of the isolates. In the AFLP analysis, most of the Brazilian isolates formed a unique cluster. Additionally, one small cluster was formed by isolates of F. sterilihyphosum from Brazil and South Africa, and another by isolates of F. mangiferae from Egypt, India, South Africa and the United States. In the phylogenetic analysis, most of the Brazilian isolates represented a new phylogenetic lineage in the Gibberella fujikuroi species complex, where they formed a sister clade to F. sterilihyphosum. Representatives of both clades were pathogenic to mango (cv. Tommy Atkins) and Koch's postulates were completed for isolates belonging to the new lineage and to F. sterilihyphosum. Thus, most of the mango malformation disease in Brazil is due to a distinct phylogenetic lineage of Fusarium, and to a lesser extent by F. sterilihyphosum. The new phylogenetic lineage identified in this study, together with F. mangiferae and F. sterilihyphosum, are the only known taxa of Fusarium proven to be capable of causing mango malformation.