Phyllosticta Leaf Blight
Phyllosticta penicillariae Speg.
Symptoms: Seedlings can be stunted and chlorotic. Leaf
lesions measure approximately 5 × 2.5 mm. Lesions are generally
parallel sided with dark brown margins and light brown necrotic
centers. Coalesced lesions usually result in tattered leaf tissue.
Leaf margins are frequently necrotic. Pycnidia form in necrotic
tissue.
Pathogen and disease characteristics: Pycnidia average
75.8 µm in diameter. Conidia are hyaline, single celled,
biguttulate, elliptical, and approximately 6.2 × 2.8 µm.
Host range: Pearl millet, possibly napiergrass.
Geographic distribution: Chad, Niger, Senegal (Spegazzini
1914), continental United States. A Phyllosticta sp.
was reported on napiergrass in Hawaii (Raabe
et al. 1981). A Phoma sp. was isolated from seed in
India (Mathur et al. 1973) and possibly
Tanzania (Mbwaga et al. 1993).
Nomenclature discrepancies: Synonyms or similar pathogens:
Reference to Phoma spp. on seed (Mathur
et al. 1973) and Phoma sorghina (Sacc.) Boerema on
foliage (Mbwaga et al. 1993) may be
P. penicillariae.
Seed transmission: Can be isolated from seed (Wilson
et al. 1993). Seedling infection from contaminated seed has
not been demonstrated.
Primary citations: Saccas 1954,
Jouan and Delassus 1971, Wilson
and Burton 1990.
United States
Department of Agriculture
Agricultural
Research Service
The material on this page is in the public
domain.
Original posting: June 5, 1999.
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