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Alternaria
Alternaria leaf spot
Watermelon Brown Spot Alternaria alternata f sp cucurbitae
Alternaria leaf spot A. alternata f.sp. cucurbitae on a watermelon
Scientific Classification
Kingdom: Fungi
Phylum: Ascomycota
Class: Dothideomycetes
Order: Pleosporales
Genus: Alternaria
Species: Alternaria alternata f.sp. cucurbitae
Synonyms
Leaf spot of cucumber

Alternaria leaf spot (A. alternata f.sp. cucurbitae) is a fungal pathogen of Cucurbits.

Symptoms[]

Symptoms appear in late autumn, mainly on the leaves of the middle and upper part of the plants. Necrotic flecks, surrounded by a chlorotic halo, appear on the leaf, and these enlarge to spots which may coalesce to form lesions up to 5cm (2in) or more in diameter. The lesions appear circular in shape and bear black-brown fructifications of the pathogen. Severely-infected leaves become yellow, senescent, and die. No other part of the plant is affected. During the winter, when relative humidity in the plastic houses is high and plant vigor is reduced due to fruit bearing and unfavorable climatic conditions (reduced illumination and average air temperature lower than 15°C (59°F)), infection progresses rapidly throughout the crop resulting in severe damage within a few days.[1][2]

Examples[]

References[]

  1. Vakalounakis, D.J. and N.E. Malathrakis. 1988. A cucumber disease caused by Alternaria alternata and its control. Z. Phytopathology 121: 325-336.
  2. Vakalounakis, D.J. (1989). Alternaria alternata f. sp. cucurbitae on Cucumber and Other Cucurbits. ucurbit Genetics Cooperative Report 12:1-4 (article 1) Cucurbit Genetics Cooperative. Retrieved: 2010-08-08.
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