Tropical Plant Pathology (2013) 38, 513-521

Rafael F. Alfenas, Olinto L. Pereira, Vanessa L. Jorge, Pedro W. Crous and Acelino C. Alfenas (2013)
A new species of Calonectria causing leaf blight and cutting rot of three forest tree species in Brazil
Tropical Plant Pathology 38 (6), 513-521
Abstract: Several species of Calonectria cause diseases on a wide range of forest tree species that are propagated either via seedlings or rooted cuttings. In nurseries these fungi cause damping-off, cutting and root rots, stem lesions, and leaf blights. Recently a Calonectria sp. was isolated from rooted cuttings of Anadenanthera peregrina (Fabaceae), Piptadenia gonoacantha (Fabaceae), and Azadirachta indica (Meliaceae) exhibiting leaf blight and cutting rot in a forest nursery at the Universidade Federal de Viçosa, Brazil. Morphological comparisons and DNA sequences of three loci containing partial gene sequences of ß-tubulin (TUB2), calmodulin (CAL), and elongation factor (TEF-1α) indicated that these isolates represent an unnamed species of Calonectria, described here as C. hodgesii sp. nov. Sprayinoculated plants of all three hosts with a suspension at 1x10⁴ conidia mL^-1 induced leaf lesions, cutting rot, and intense defoliation as observed under natural conditions. Calonectria hodgesii was re-isolated from infected tissue, which fulfilled Koch's postulates and confirmed its status as a pathogen with a wide host range.
(The abstract is excluded from the Creative Commons licence and has been copied with permission by the publisher.)
Full text of article
Database assignments for author(s): Pedro W. Crous, Acelino C. Alfenas, Olinto L. Pereira

Research topic(s) for pests/diseases/weeds:
identification/taxonomy

---

Pest and/or beneficial records:

Beneficial	Pest/Disease/Weed	Crop/Product	Country	Quarant.
	Calonectria brasiliensis	Neem (Azadirachta indica)	Brazil (south)
	Calonectria brasiliensis	Angico trees (Anadenanthera)	Brazil (south)