First report of Gibellulopsis nigrescens on peppermint in Germany

Peppermint is an important medicinal plant, and it is known for its essential oils and phenolic acids. Verticillium wilt is a vascular disease resulted from several Verticillium spp. causing significant economic losses in peppermint cultivation. In this study, the fungus Gibellulopsis nigrescens (syn. Verticillium nigrescens ) was isolated from symptomless peppermint plants during the regular control of Verticillium wilt on peppermint in Germany. A pure fungal culture was prepared, and fungal DNA was extracted. Ribosomal internal transcribed spacer (ITS), beta-tubulin (TUB), and translation elongation factor 1-α (TEF1-α) were amplified, sequenced, and deposited in the GenBank. These sequences are located within the Gibellulopsis nigrescens cluster. Koch’s postulate was fulfilled, and the fungus was re-isolated from the inoculated plants. Up to our knowledge, this is the first report of Gibellulopsis nigrescens on peppermint in Germany.