Biology and pathogenicity of Pestalotiopsis microspora and Colletotrichum siamense associated with circular leaf spot of rubber (Hevea brasiliensis)
TL;DR
Results indicate that CLSD in Viet Nam is associated with a pathogen complex in which C. siamense is more pathogenic than P. microspora, while C. siamense grew most rapidly on potato-based media at 25–30°C.
Abstract
Circular leaf spot disease (CLSD) has recently emerged as an important foliar disease of rubber (Hevea brasiliensis) in Viet Nam, yet information on its associated pathogens remains limited. This study investigated the biological characteristics and pathogenicity of Pestalotiopsis microspora and Colletotrichum siamense associated with CLSD. Sixteen isolates of each species were obtained from diseased leaves collected in major rubber-growing regions of Viet Nam. Morphological characteristics were evaluated on different culture media and temperature regimes, while pathogenicity was assessed under laboratory and greenhouse conditions and confirmed through Koch’s postulates. Pestalotiopsis microspora showed optimal growth on malt extract agar at 25°C, whereas C. siamense grew most rapidly on potato-based media at 25–30°C. ITS sequence analysis showed ≥99% similarity between all isolates and reference sequences of P. microspora and C. siamense in GenBank. Disease severity index values on detached leaves ranged from 34.4–52.1% for P. microspora, 54.5–99.8% for C. siamense, and 92.0–100% for mixed inoculations (ANOVA, p < 0.01). Greenhouse inoculations showed a similar pattern. Among six rubber clones, RRIV 124 was the most susceptible under laboratory conditions. These results indicate that CLSD in Viet Nam is associated with a pathogen complex in which C. siamense is more pathogenic than P. microspora, while...