First Report of Citrus Scab on Trifoliate Orange (Poncirus trifoliata)

Abstract

Citrus scab symptoms were observed on leaves of trifoliate orange (Poncirus trifoliata) in open field of Citrus Research Institute, National Institute of Horticultural and Herbal Science. Typical scab pustules were formed and they were elevated protuberances form and light brown to grey. The pathogens were isolated from the symptomatic leaves and then were identified to Elsinoë fawcettii by morphological characteristics, pathogenicity and PCR assay. The morphological characteristics of colonies formed very slow-growing, pulvinate, or raised and deeply fissured, gummy to mucoid or tomentose colonies on potato dextrose agar medium. The pathogens were pathogenic to leaves of Satsuma mandarin, lemon, sour orange and grapefruit with typical scab symptoms. In PCR assay, specific amplified of products of 717 bp with Efaw-1 and 384 bp with Efaw-2 were observed from trifoliate isolates and E. fawcettii as reference but not from E. australis. This is first report of trifoliate orange being positive for citrus scab disease.

Keywords

• citrus
• scab disease
• trifoliate orange