Bipolaris maydis was consistently isolated from infected Paspalum atratum cv. Pojuca plants showing leaf spot symptoms in the Cerrado of Brazil, in 2002. Pathogenicity tests under greenhouse conditions and subsequent reisolations of B. maydis from artificially inoculated Pojuca seedlings confirmed the hypothesis that this fungus was the causal agent of the disease. Symptoms of leaf spot appeared four days after inoculation in 100% of the inoculated Pojuca plants. All seven species of grasses evaluated were susceptible to B. maydis. The occurrence of leaf spot of Pojuca caused by B. maydis is reported for the first time in Brazil.
Palavras-chave adicionais: Phoma sect. Peyronellaea, patogenicidade, gramínea forrageira, semente.
ABSTRACT
Phoma sp. (sect. Peyronellaea), as causal agent of leaf spot on Paspalum atratum in BrazilThe fungus Phoma sp. (sect. Peyronellaea) was consistently isolated from infected Paspalum atratum cv. Pojuca (Pojuca grass) plants with leaf spot symptoms in the Federal District, Brazil, in 2002. Conidia were hyaline, usually ellyptical, unicellular, gutullate, 2,50-5,25 x 10,25-17,25 µm. Pycnidia were mostly solitary, 100-310 µm diameter, globose, usually with a short neck. Multicellular chlamidospores often resembling conidia of Alternaria were present in the colonies. Pathogenicity tests under greenhouse conditions and subsequent reisolations of Phoma sp. from artificially inoculated Pojuca seedlings confirmed the hypothesis that this fungus was the causal agent of the disease. Symptoms of leaf spot appeared four to five days after inoculation in 100% of the inoculated Pojuca grass plants. All seven species of grasses evaluated were susceptible to this fungus. The occurrence of leaf spots of Pojuca grass caused by Phoma sp. is reported for the first time in Brazil.
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