Pathogenicity tests conducted on healthy potted aloe plants in a glasshouse showed typical leaf spot symptoms after 4–7 days. The optimal temperature for the growth of A. alternata was 25°C. “
“The genomes of three potyvirus isolates from, respectively, naturally infected Colocasia esculenta, Caladium spp. and Dieffenbachia spp. in Andhra Pradesh, India, were amplified by RT-PCR using degenerate

potyvirus primers. Sequence analysis of RT-PCR amplicons (1599 nucleotides) showed maximum identity of 97% with the KoMV-Zan isolate of Konjac mosaic virus (KoMV) from Taiwan (A/C AF332872). The three isolates had a maximum identity of 99.4%. The length of coat protein (CP) gene of three isolates was 846 nucleotides encoding 282 amino acids with a deduced size of 32.25 kDa. MG-132 price The CP gene of the isolates had, respectively, Cobimetinib 78.1–95.7% and 88.2–96.4% identity at nucleotide and amino acid levels with KoMV isolates. The CP gene of the three isolates had 93.1–100% (nucleotide) and 98.2–100% (amino acid) identity. The 3′-UTR of the three isolates showed maximum identity of 91.1–100% identity between and with other KoMV isolates.

In the CP amino acid–based phylogenetic analyses, the isolates branched as a distinct cluster along with known KoMV isolates. The three potyvirus isolates associated with mosaic, chlorotic feathery mottling, chlorotic spots, leaf deformation and chlorotic ring spots on three aroids were identified as isolates of KoMV for the first time from Andhra Pradesh, India. “
“In 2010 and 2011, a disease exhibiting characteristics of white mold was found on Sedum sarmentosum, a crassulaceous weed under canopies of tea trees, in Zhushan County, Hubei Province, China. Based on the cultural and morphological characteristics, the

pathogen was identified as Sclerotinia nivalis Saito. In the phylogenetic tree inferred from the internal transcribed spacer (ITS)-rDNA sequences, the pathogen was clustered with five previously before characterized isolates of S. nivalis, forming a unique clade, thus confirming the morpho-cultural identification. Koch’s postulates were fulfilled by pathogenicity tests using the isolate SsSn-24 and Let-19 of S. nivalis on plants of S. sarmentosum. To our knowledge, this is the first report of S. nivalis on S. sarmentosum in the family Crassulaceae. “
“During 2009–2011, a dieback disease of mango (Mangifera indica) has recently emerged on mango trees in Panzhihua City, Sichuan province of China. The disease is characterized by large irregular brown-coloured speckles on the petioles and twigs, vascular necrosis and dry leaves and complete twig mortality. Fusarium species were isolated repeatedly from the infected petioles and twigs. The species was identified as Fusarium decemcellulare Brick based on morphology and sequence analysis of Translation Elongation Factor-1alpha (TEF-1α) gene. Koch’s postulates were fulfilled by pathogenicity tests on potted mango seedlings.