Causal Fungus of Side Rot on ‘Zesy002’ Kiwifruit in Jeju Island, South Korea

Abstract

Since the past few years, dimple rot has become one of the most serious diseases affecting Actinidia chinensis var. chinensis ‘Zesy002’ kiwifruit in Korea, leading to a low quality and subsequent losses of income. In the current study, the causal pathogen of side rot on ‘Zesy002’ kiwifruit was identified to be Botryosphaeria dothidea, a widespread pathogen that could penetrate the fruit directly without wounding. Diaporthe sp., another pathogen causing dimple rot, was isolated from infected kiwifruit. It was not able to infect fruits without wounding. Dimple-rot symptoms are known to be associated with other pathogens from the Pseudocercospora genus. In this study, B. dothidea was ratified as the causal disease agent in Jeju Island. To illustrate the pathogenicity of this fungus on ‘Zesy002’, further studies such as observation of infection structures of fungus may be needed.

Keywords

• diagnosis
• dimple rot
• purple blotch
• resistant cultivar
• storage disease