Argentina: New fungus that affects strawberry identified

The Horticultural Plant Pathology Laboratory of INTA Bella Vista –Corrientes– identified a new fungus that affects strawberry. It is Neopestalotiopsis clavispora, the causal agent of crown and root rot of this species. The main damage it causes are reddish-brown internerval spots on leaves associated with necrotic areas that cause plant death, reducing yields. The details of the finding will be presented at the 5th Argentine Congress of Phytopathology, which will be held on September 22 and 23, virtually. "At first, a morphological characterization of the fungus was carried out, and then a molecular characterization, through DNA extraction and PCR from the colonies obtained," explained Magalí Ibañez - member of the Horticultural Phytopathology team of INTA Bella Vista, Corrientes - . It was isolated from the roots and crown of symptomatic strawberry plants, from samples that the team received from the main strawberry producing areas (Jujuy, Tucumán, Santa Fe, Corrientes and Buenos ...