Cylindrocladiella peruviana and Pleiocarpon algeriense causing stem and crown rot on avocado (Persea americana)

• Published in: European journal of plant pathology Vol. 158; no. 2; pp. 419 - 430
• Main Authors: Aiello, Dalia, Gusella, Giorgio, Vitale, Alessandro, Guarnaccia, Vladimiro, Polizzi, Giancarlo
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Dordrecht Springer Netherlands 01-10-2020; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Agriculture; Biomedical and Life Sciences; Crown rot; Ecology; Fungi; Life Sciences; Loci; Morphology; Pathogenicity; Pathogens; Persea americana; Plant Pathology; Plant Sciences; Seedlings; Stems; Trees; Nectriaceae; Molecular characterization; Fungal diseases
• ISSN: 0929-1873; 1573-8469
• DOI: 10.1007/s10658-020-02082-x

During the winter of 2018, 3-years-old trees of avocado (
Persea americana
) cv “Hass” from Trapani province (Sicily, Italy) showed symptoms of stem and crown rot. Two different fungi were consistently isolated from infected tissues. Morphological characterization and multi-locus phylogenies using five genomic loci (ITS,
tef1
,
tub2
,
his3
, and
rpb2
) identified these fungi as
Cylindrocladiella peruviana
and
Pleiocarpon algeriense
. Pathogenicity tests on healthy 5-months-old seedlings and 3-year-old trees of avocado reproduced similar symptoms as those observed in nature, and Koch’s postulates were fulfilled for both pathogens. Moreover, the tested fungal isolates revealed a different pathogenic behaviour among two species. Two isolates of
Pleiocarpon algeriense
resulted more aggressive than
Cylindrocladiella peruviana
isolates causing major lesions on young seedlings. This study is the first to report of stem and crown rot on avocado caused by
Cylindrocladiella peruviana
and
Pleiocarpon algeriense
.