Alternaria and Curvularia leaf spot pathogens show high aggressivity on watermelon, and are emerging pathogens in cucurbit production
Fungal leaf spot pathogens of cucurbits cause significant yield losses. They cause extensive leaf necroses and defoliation, reducing host photosynthesis. They increase risks of fruit sunscald, and can cause substantial crop damage. Alternaria cucumerina has been recognized as the causal agent of lea...
Saved in:
| Main Authors: | , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Firenze University Press
2025-05-01
|
| Series: | Phytopathologia Mediterranea |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://oajournals.fupress.net/index.php/pm/article/view/15955 |
| Tags: |
Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
|
| _version_ | 1849689752099356672 |
|---|---|
| author | Cristina PAREDES-MACHADO Verëlindë BOGAJ Viktor PAPP Gábor BALÁZS David PAPP |
| author_facet | Cristina PAREDES-MACHADO Verëlindë BOGAJ Viktor PAPP Gábor BALÁZS David PAPP |
| author_sort | Cristina PAREDES-MACHADO |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Fungal leaf spot pathogens of cucurbits cause significant yield losses. They cause extensive leaf necroses and defoliation, reducing host photosynthesis. They increase risks of fruit sunscald, and can cause substantial crop damage. Alternaria cucumerina has been recognized as the causal agent of leaf spot disease of cucurbits, and recent studies have identified other Alternaria species, and other emerging pathogens such as Curvularia. This study characterized 25 isolates obtained from infected watermelon and cucumber leaves from Hungary, Spain, and Kosovo. Morphological characterization and molecular analyses using TEF1-α, HIS3, and ITS gene regions identified Alternaria alternata and A. arborescens, and for the first time on this host, the genus Curvularia. Detached leaf assays of ten isolates on 73 watermelon accessions showed variation in isolate pathogenicity. The tested Curvularia isolate was the most aggressive, followed by the A. arborescens and A. alternata isolates, although A. alternata was the most frequently identified species. These results highlight the potential for emerging fungal pathogens causing cucurbit leaf spot, such as Curvularia sp., and show that these fungi can cause damage on economically important plants. This study also showed differing resistance within the watermelon collection, indicating potential for the plant introduction (PI) accessions as sources of resistance breeding.
|
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-a64e1c53e2ee4c9f8aae2115957a8e65 |
| institution | DOAJ |
| issn | 0031-9465 1593-2095 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-05-01 |
| publisher | Firenze University Press |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Phytopathologia Mediterranea |
| spelling | doaj-art-a64e1c53e2ee4c9f8aae2115957a8e652025-08-20T03:21:31ZengFirenze University PressPhytopathologia Mediterranea0031-94651593-20952025-05-0164110.36253/phyto-15955Alternaria and Curvularia leaf spot pathogens show high aggressivity on watermelon, and are emerging pathogens in cucurbit productionCristina PAREDES-MACHADO0Verëlindë BOGAJ1Viktor PAPP2Gábor BALÁZS3David PAPP4Department of Fruit Growing, Institute of Horticulture, Hungarian University of Agriculture and Life Sciences, 2100 Budapest, HungaryDepartment of Fruit Growing, Institute of Horticulture, Hungarian University of Agriculture and Life Sciences, 2100 Budapest, HungaryDepartment of Botany, Institute of Agronomy, Hungarian University of Agriculture and Life Sciences, H-1118 Budapest, HungaryDepartment of Vegetable and Mushroom Growing, Institute of Horticulture, Hungarian University of Agriculture and Life Sciences, 2100 Budapest, HungaryDepartment of Fruit Growing, Institute of Horticulture, Hungarian University of Agriculture and Life Sciences, 2100 Budapest, HungaryFungal leaf spot pathogens of cucurbits cause significant yield losses. They cause extensive leaf necroses and defoliation, reducing host photosynthesis. They increase risks of fruit sunscald, and can cause substantial crop damage. Alternaria cucumerina has been recognized as the causal agent of leaf spot disease of cucurbits, and recent studies have identified other Alternaria species, and other emerging pathogens such as Curvularia. This study characterized 25 isolates obtained from infected watermelon and cucumber leaves from Hungary, Spain, and Kosovo. Morphological characterization and molecular analyses using TEF1-α, HIS3, and ITS gene regions identified Alternaria alternata and A. arborescens, and for the first time on this host, the genus Curvularia. Detached leaf assays of ten isolates on 73 watermelon accessions showed variation in isolate pathogenicity. The tested Curvularia isolate was the most aggressive, followed by the A. arborescens and A. alternata isolates, although A. alternata was the most frequently identified species. These results highlight the potential for emerging fungal pathogens causing cucurbit leaf spot, such as Curvularia sp., and show that these fungi can cause damage on economically important plants. This study also showed differing resistance within the watermelon collection, indicating potential for the plant introduction (PI) accessions as sources of resistance breeding. https://oajournals.fupress.net/index.php/pm/article/view/15955 Alternaria alternataAlternaria arborescensbar codingleaf spotCitrullus spp. |
| spellingShingle | Cristina PAREDES-MACHADO Verëlindë BOGAJ Viktor PAPP Gábor BALÁZS David PAPP Alternaria and Curvularia leaf spot pathogens show high aggressivity on watermelon, and are emerging pathogens in cucurbit production Phytopathologia Mediterranea Alternaria alternata Alternaria arborescens bar coding leaf spot Citrullus spp. |
| title | Alternaria and Curvularia leaf spot pathogens show high aggressivity on watermelon, and are emerging pathogens in cucurbit production |
| title_full | Alternaria and Curvularia leaf spot pathogens show high aggressivity on watermelon, and are emerging pathogens in cucurbit production |
| title_fullStr | Alternaria and Curvularia leaf spot pathogens show high aggressivity on watermelon, and are emerging pathogens in cucurbit production |
| title_full_unstemmed | Alternaria and Curvularia leaf spot pathogens show high aggressivity on watermelon, and are emerging pathogens in cucurbit production |
| title_short | Alternaria and Curvularia leaf spot pathogens show high aggressivity on watermelon, and are emerging pathogens in cucurbit production |
| title_sort | alternaria and curvularia leaf spot pathogens show high aggressivity on watermelon and are emerging pathogens in cucurbit production |
| topic | Alternaria alternata Alternaria arborescens bar coding leaf spot Citrullus spp. |
| url | https://oajournals.fupress.net/index.php/pm/article/view/15955 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT cristinaparedesmachado alternariaandcurvularialeafspotpathogensshowhighaggressivityonwatermelonandareemergingpathogensincucurbitproduction AT verelindebogaj alternariaandcurvularialeafspotpathogensshowhighaggressivityonwatermelonandareemergingpathogensincucurbitproduction AT viktorpapp alternariaandcurvularialeafspotpathogensshowhighaggressivityonwatermelonandareemergingpathogensincucurbitproduction AT gaborbalazs alternariaandcurvularialeafspotpathogensshowhighaggressivityonwatermelonandareemergingpathogensincucurbitproduction AT davidpapp alternariaandcurvularialeafspotpathogensshowhighaggressivityonwatermelonandareemergingpathogensincucurbitproduction |