Trunk disease fungi associated with Syzygium cumini in Iran

Abstract

Syzygium cumini trees with dieback symptoms and cankers were observed in two provinces in Iran. Isolations were made from diseased branches and cankers and from asymptomatic S. cumini wood samples. Several trunk disease pathogens were identified based on morphological characteristics and by molecular methods, including Cadophora luteo-olivacea, Diplodia sapinea, D. seriata, Neoscytalidium hyalinum, Phaeoacremonium fraxinopennsylvanicum, P. krajdenii, P. parasiticum, P. viticola, and Pleurostoma richardsiae, which were isolated from S. cumini for the first time in the world. Pathogenicity tests conducted with all species confirmed their status as possible S. cumini pathogens. N. hyalinum was the most aggressive species and caused the longest lesions on inoculated shoots. The endophytic character of some fungal species isolated from asymptomatic wood of S. cumini is further discussed. Our results indicated that S. cumini is a new woody host to many known fungal trunk pathogens.