MORPHOLOGICAL IDENTIFICATION OF DIAPORTHE/PHOMOPSIS SP. ISOLATED FROM XANTHIUM ITALICUM

Abstract

Diaporthe/Phomopsis sp. was isolated from Xanthium italicum (Italian cockleburr) for the first time in Eastern Croatia during 2004 year. As Diaporthe/Phomopsis species are known as pathogens of soybean, sunflower and other arable crops, it is important to study alternative hosts as a possible source of inoculum from an epidemiological point of view. This paper describes symptoms of infection on X. italicum, pathogen morphological and cultural characters on potato-dextrose agar (PDA), biometrical values of reproductive structures (pycnidia, beta conidia, perithecia, asci and ascospores) of naturally infected plants and of cultures grown on PDA. Results obtained from undertaken studies indicate that our Phomopsis sp. isolates from X. italicum belong to the group of P. helianthi.

Keywords

• Diaporthe/Phomopsis
• Xanthium italicum
• Phomopsis helianthi
• characteristics