Identification and Characterization of Sphaerulina Vaccinii Sp. Nov. As the Cause of Leaf Spot and Stem Canker in Lowbush Blueberry and Its Epidemiology

Septoria leaf spot and stem canker is an important disease of lowbush blueberry, but the causal pathogen has not been accurately identified. Based on sequence analysis of the internal transcribed spacer, translation elongation factor 1 alpha, RNA polymerase II second largest subunit, 28S nuclear ribosomal DNA gene, and beta-tubulin genes, the pathogen aligns closely with the genus Sphaerulina. The phylogenetic analyses based on these loci demonstrate that while the pathogen is closely related to the species Sphaerulina amelanchier, it is sufficiently distinct to warrant a new species designation. No ascomata of the teleomorph were found; however, ascospores recovered from leaves fit, morphologically, with the genus Mycosphaerella. The morphological data also support a new species designation. Based on the host that this pathogen infects, we propose the name as Sphaerulina vaccinii and the disease as Sphaerulina leaf spot and stem canker. Under field conditions, it appears that initial inoculum originates from pycnidia on overwintered leaves and stem lesions (cankers) on fruiting stems. More than 90% of the initial inoculum was released during the flowering period from late May through June. Leaf spots began to appear in early June and disease severity increased in a linear manner over time. Secondary inoculum production from diseased foliage was minimal and not considered important epidemiologically. Defoliation resulting from disease began in early July and increased in a nonlinear manner thereafter. Manual defoliation of blueberry stems at various times prior to harvest showed the substantial extent to which premature defoliation by this disease can affect yield. Stem lesions were also shown to have an impact on yield, even though stems were not killed.