First report of leaf spots on Gentiana rhodantha caused by Pestalotiopsis trachicarpicola

Abstract

In August 2018, leaf spots with circular or irregular brown lesions on Gentiana rhodantha leaves were widespread in Liupanshui, Guizhou Province, China. Three strains of Pestalotiopsis spp. were found by single-spore isolation to be associated with the lesions. Based on asexual and sexual characteristics and multilocus (ITS, TUB, tef-1) phylogenic data, strains were identified as Pestalotiopsis trachicarpicola Y.M.Zhang & K.D.Hyde. This is the first report of G. rhodantha leaf spot caused by P. trachicarpicola. In culture tests, the optimum for mycelial growth was 20–25\xa0°C at pH 7–9 and for conidial germination 25–30\xa0°C and pH 6–9.