Identification and Characterization of Pseudocercospora cornicola Causing Leaf Spots on Cornus officinalis

In-Young  Choi1,2   Ho-Jong Sun  Ju1,*   Lamiya   Abasova1   Joon-Ho  Choi1   Hyeon-Dong   Shin1,3   

1Department of Agricultural Biology, Jeonbuk National University, Jeonju 54896, Korea
2Department of Agricultural Convergence Technology, Jeonbuk National University, Jeonju 54896,Korea
3Division of Environmental Science and Ecological Engineering, Korea University, Seoul 02841, Korea

Abstract

Cornus officinalis plants that grow in several locations in Korea have been found to be infected with leaf spot disease. Symptoms include necrotic lesions, which are angular, irregularly shaped, vein-limited, and dark brown, on both sides of the leaves. The causal agent of the disease was identified to be Pseudocercospora cornicola based on the morphological characteristics of the fungus and molecular phylogenetic analysis of the obtained multi-locus DNA sequence data. This is the first report investigating P. cornicola found on C. officinalis in Korea.

Figures & Tables

Fig. 1.Leaf spots caused by on Cornus officinalis. (A) General view of infected plant. (B) Close-up view of symptoms on leaves. (C, D) Fructification of the fungus on the lesion, showing grayish patches on the lesion due to heavy fructification. (E)Conidiophores. (F, G) Conidia. (H) One-week-old colony of growing on a potato dextrose agar at 25℃.