New report of leaf blight disease on eucalyptus (Eucalyptus camaldulensis) caused by Pestalotiopsis virgatula in Thailand

Abstract

A leaf blight on eucalyptus, caused by Pestalotiopsis virgatula, was found on a Eucalyptus camaldulensis plantation for the first time at Chiang Mai Province, Thailand in 2011. The fungus was isolated and its pathogenicity confirmed. Pathogenicity tests showed that P. virgatula could infect E. camaldulensis, which developed the same symptoms under artificial inoculation conditions as those observed in the field. The fungus was identified based on morphological and culture characteristics as P. virgatula. Identifications were confirmed using comparisons of DNA sequences of internal transcribed spacers (ITS) regions 1 and 2, including 5.8S rDNA (ITS1-5.8S-ITS2). This is the first report of eucalyptus leaf blight disease caused by P. virgatula. © 2012 The Canadian Phytopathological Society.