First report of whisker mold, a postharvest disease on citrus caused by Penicillium ulaiense (in Japan)

• Published in: Journal of general plant pathology : JGPP Vol. 78; no. 2; pp. 140 - 144
• Main Authors: Tashiro, Nobuya, Manabe, Kayo, Ide, Youichi
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Japan Springer Japan 01-03-2012; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Agriculture; Biomedical and Life Sciences; Blue mold; Citrus; Citrus fruits; Coremia; Disease Note; Fruits; Fungi; Life Sciences; Microbiology; Mold; Molds; Nucleotide sequence; Pathogens; Penicillium; Penicillium italicum; Phylogeny; Plant diseases; Plant Pathology; Tubulin; β-tubulin gene; Postharvest disease; Whisker mold; Citrus rot
• ISSN: 1345-2630; 1610-739X
• DOI: 10.1007/s10327-012-0363-0

In March 2006, stored fruits of the medium-to-late-ripening citrus variety Shiranuhi ([
Citrus unshiu
 × 
C. sinensis
] × 
C. reticulata
) were found to have a disease similar to blue mold. The fungus causing this disease differed distinctly from the well-known, blue mold agent,
Penicillium italicum
, because it formed whisker-like coremia measuring 1–8 mm. On the basis of the morphological characteristics and the phylogenetic analysis based on the nucleotide sequence of the β-tubulin gene, the fungus was identified as
P. ulaiense
. This is the first report of citrus whisker mold caused by
P. ulaiense
in Japan.