First report on leaf blight of Lindera obtusiloba caused by Pestalotiopsis microspora in Korea

Pestalotiopsis microspora causes leaf spot on Adenium obesum

“…The characteristics exhibited by the colonies of the RD1, RD3 and RD7 isolates in PDA were white mycelia with hyaline hyphae, branched septa, radial growth, cottony and formation of dark masses containing the reproductive structures of the pathogen. These colony characteristics are similar to those described by several studies concerning colonies of P. microspora isolates (Jeon et al., 2006; Wu et al., 2009; Shen et al., 2014; Jeon and Cheon, 2014; Bhuiyan et al., 2021). The conidia, on the contrary, were fusiform and euseptados with had two hyaline cells (apical and basal) and three dark‐coloured fusiform median cells.…”

“…The size of the conidia ranged from 15.03 to 34.28 µm in length by 3.55 to 6.27 µm in width, with one to three apical appendages from 2.24 to 26.44 µm in length and a basal appendage measuring 1.51-8.02 µm in length. The morphological characteristics of the conidia of the RD1, RD3 and RD7 fungal isolates were similar to those described in the literature for the genus Pestalotiopsis (Griffiths & Swart, 1974;Jeewon et al, 2002;Sutton, 1980), and those described by several studies when describing the species P. microspora (Bhuiyan et al, 2021;Jeon et al, 2006;Shen et al, 2014;Wu et al, 2009).…”

Pestalotiopsis—morphology, phylogeny, biochemistry and diversity

“…Chlorosis and reduction of growth were recorded in maize fields in the Cameroons when the plants were infected by P. neglecta (Tagne and Mathur 2001). The medicinally important ornamental shrub Lindera obtusiloba, which grows wild in the mountain areas of the Korean Peninsula, is infected by P. microspora, and the affected leaves initially have grey or dark brown lesions, surrounded by yellowish halos; these enlarge, coalesce and become entire at a later stage, finally causing full leaf blight (Jeon et al 2007). Affected leaves of Hymenaea courbaril show symptoms of leaf spots and the pathogen was identified as a P. subcuticularis (Guba) J.G Wei & T. Xu (Fail and Langenheim 1990).…”

“…The species has most commonly been isolated as an endophyte associated with rainforest plants (Strobel et al 2002) or as a pathogen (Keith et al 2006). Pathogen associations include scab disease on Psidium guajava (Keith et al 2006), leaf blight of Lindera obtusiloba (Jeon et al 2007) and as an endophyte on Terminalia morobensis (Womersley 1995). Pestalotiopsis microspora has the potential to be a model organism for biological and biochemical studies in the laboratory (Metz et al 2000).…”

Pestalotiopsis kaki sp. nov., a Novel Species Isolated from Persimmon Tree (Diospyros kaki) Bark in Korea

“…Most species in the genus Pestalotiopsis are pathogens that cause leaf blight in many plant species [ 4 , 5 , 22 ]. For example, species produce leaf blight on Japanese spicebush ( Lindera obtusiloba ) ( P. microspore ) [ 23 ], and leaf spot disease on Proteaceae ( Pestalotiopsis sp. in Zimbabwe) [ 24 ].…”