Eggplant (Solanum melongena) is one of the most economically important vegetable crops cultivated and consumed globally. It is predominantly produced in Asia (94%) (Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (2020)). Eggplant production is highly profitable and a ready source of income for small, resourcepoor farmers (Francisco et al., 2012). Eggplant is the most produced vegetable (by volume) in the Philippines, accounting for more than 30% of the country's total vegetable production (PSA (2020)).However, plant pathogens hamper its production by damaging the leaves, stems and roots, thus affecting its marketable fruit yield. The damage can range from 50% to 90% or eventually destroy the whole crop (Palo, 1938), resulting in losses.There are more than 30 pathogens associated with eggplant diseases (Tangonan, 1999), including those causing fruit rots, for example Colletotrichum gloeosporioides f. melongenae (Colletotrichum
Powdery mildew was observed on 20 genotypes of Vigna unguiculata subsp. sesquipedalis (yardlong beans) and 33 genotypes of V. radiata (mungbean) in Los Baños, Laguna, Philippines. Powdery mildew was collected and then subjected to molecular characterization to identify the species associated with the disease. Based on combined microscopic observations and molecular identification, the species causing powdery mildew to yardlong bean and mungbean was Podosphaera xanthii (Castagne) U. Braun & S. Takam. 2000 (Bas.: Erysiphe xanthii 1845). None of the yardlong beans and mungbean genotypes were resistant to powdery mildew, with disease incidence reaching up to 100% and with fungal colonies present on plant vines and both sides of leaves. This is the first report of powdery mildew disease caused by P. xanthii on yardlong bean and mungbean in the country. Both legume plant species are important food crops in the Philippines. The information from this study will be valuable in formulating other disease management approaches. The lack of resistant plants warrants further screening in legume germplasm collection to identify sources of resistance or tolerance.
Emerging fungal pathogens could bring irreversible damage to economically important plant species resulting in yield losses. One method of control of plant diseases is crop rotation, whereby the main cultivated crop is rotated with other crops. However, for crop rotation to be successful, the alternative crop must be a non-susceptible or non-host plant of the pathogen. In January 2021, for the first time, Corynespora cassiicola was reported to cause leaf spots and fruit rot in eggplant (Solanum melongena) in the Philippines. This study investigated the potential host range of newly reported C. cassiicola in controlled, repeated pathogenicity assays. Of the 36 plant species (19 plant families) assayed for leaf infection, 26 and 23 plant species were pathogenic to C. cassiicola in wounded and unwounded conditions, respectively. Of the 27 plant species (13 plant families) assayed for fruit/head/bulb/tuber infection, 16 and 6 were susceptible to C. cassiicola in wounded and unwounded conditions, respectively. Among all plant species assayed, mango, tomato, and beans were considered very susceptible as infection occurred in both leaves and fruits and wounded and unwounded treatments. The related species, tomato and pepper, were also susceptible to diseases caused by C. cassiicola. This is the first report of the pathogenicity of the C. cassiicola Philippine strain to various plant species assessed in controlled conditions.
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