Crop Knowledge Master Fungi

Alternaria Primer

General Information Summary
Pathogens & Hosts Taxonomy Characteristics Disease Types Management Graphics References

Authors

Andrew K. Gonsalves, Educational Specialist

Stephen A. Ferreira, Extension Plant Pathologist

Department of Plant Pathology, College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources

University of Hawaii and Manoa

PATHOGENS & HOSTS

Over twenty Alternaria species have been reported to occur in Hawaii (Raabe, et al., 1981). The following is a list of the reported pathogens from this genus (Alternaria) and the hosts they infect. The list is organized by the scientific name of the pathogen species (CAPITAL LETTERS), followed by the various susceptible plant hosts. Words in blue indicate what symptom or disease a given pathogen causes on the listed hosts.

ALTERNARIA ALTERNATA

From dark necrotic flecks on flowers:

Dendrobium sp.

Fruit Spot:

papaya (Carica papaya)

Leafspot:

lawn leaf (Dichondra repens)

garden bean (Phaseolus vulgaris)

corn, maize (Zea mays)

ALTERNARIA BRASSICAE

Gray Leafspot:

field mustard (Brassica campestris)

leaf or Chinese mustard (Brassica juncea)

broccoli, cauliflower (Brassica oleracea var. botrytis)

cabbage (Brassica oleracea var. capitata)

Chinese or celery cabbage (Brassica pekinensis)

turnip (Brassica rapa)

radish (Raphanus sativus)

ALTERNARIA BRASSICAE f.sp. PHASEOLI

Leafspot:

garden bean (Phaseolus vulgaris)

ALTERNARIA BRASSICICOLA

Black Leafspot:

cabbage (Brassica oleracea var. capitata)

turnip (Brassica rapa)

 

ALTERNARIA CUCUMERINA

Leaf Blight:

cucumber (Cucumis sativus)

ALTERNARIA DAUCI

Leafspot:

carrot (Daucus carota var. sativa)

ALTERNARIA DIANTHI

Blight:

sweet william (Dianthus barbatus)

ALTERNARIA DIANTHICOLA

Flower Blight:

carnation (Dianthus caryophyllus)

ALTERNARIA GERBERAE

Leafspot:

Transvaal daisy (Gerbera jamesonii)

ALTERNARIA GOMPHRENAE

Leafspot:

globe amaranth (Gomphrena globosa)

ALTERNARIA OLERACEA

see Alternaria brassicicola

ALTERNARIA PANAX

Leafspot:

umbrella tree (Schefflera actinophylla)

ALTERNARIA PASSIFLORAE

Leaf and Pod Spot:

passion fruit (Passiflora edulis)

yellow passion fruit (Passiflora edulis f.sp. flavicarpa)

love-in-a-mist (Passiflora foetida)

giant granadilla (Passiflora quadragularis)

Passiflora sp.

ALTERNARIA PORRI

Leafspot:

Transvaal daisy (Gerbera jamesonii)

Purple Blotch:

shallot (Allium ascalonicum)

onion (Allium cepa)

leek (Allium porrum), as Macrosporium sp.

ALTERNARIA SOLANI

Early Blight:

spiny amaranth, pakai-puku (Amaranthus spinosus)

Joseph's coat, Chinese spinach (Amaranthus tricolor)

galinsoga (Galinsoga parviflora)

tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum)

eggplant (Solanum melongena)

potato (Solanum tuberosum)

ALTERNARIA SONCHI

Leafspot:

Flora's paintbrush (Emilia sonchifolia)

lettuce (Lactuca sativa)

sowthistle (Sonchus oleracea)

ALTERNARIA SP.

Flower Blight:

baby's breath (Gypsophila paniculata)

Leafspot:

Cattleya sp.

Transvaal daisy (Gerbera jamesonii)

Glycine max

Mexican clover (Richardia brasiliensis)

Tagetes sp.

Wedelia trilobata

Other:

pineapple (Ananas comosus)

coriander (Coriandrum sativum)

carnation (Dianthus caryophyllus)

passion fruit (Passiflora edulis)

yellow passion fruit (Passiflora edulis f.sp. flavicarpa)

love-in-a-mist (Passiflora foetida)

giant granadilla (Passiflora quadragularis)

Vanda sp.

ALTERNARIA TENUIS

Fruit Spot:

papaya (Carica papaya)

Other:

passion fruit (Passiflora edulis)

yellow passion fruit (Passiflora edulis f.sp. flavicarpa)

love-in-a-mist (Passiflora foetida)

giant granadilla (Passiflora quadragularis)

ALTERNARIA TOMATO

Nailhead Spot:

tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum)

Other:

passion fruit (Passiflora edulis)

yellow passion fruit (P. edulis f.sp. flavicarpa)

ALTERNARIA ?ZINNIAE

Alternaria Blight:

cultivated zinnia (Zinnia elegans)

TAXONOMY

KINGDOM: Mycetae (fungi)

DIVISION: Eumycota (eumycetes)

SUBDIVISION: Deuteromycotina (The imperfect fungi)

CLASS: Hyphomycetes

ORDER: Hyphales (Moniliales)

GENERAL CHARACTERISTICS

No information is available for this section at the moment, please check future Knowledge Master Versions.

TYPES OF DISEASES

No information is available for this section at the moment, please check future Knowledge Master Versions.

MANAGEMENT

No information is available for this section at the moment, please check future Knowledge Master Versions.

GRAPHICS

Below is a list of graphics that are available for this Genus:

Alternaria leafspot of tobacco

Early blight of tomato

This may be caused by Alternaria solani.

REFERENCES

Agrios, G.N. 1988. Plant Pathology, 3rd edition. Academic Press, Inc: San Diego. 803 pp.

Farr, , D.F., G.F. Bills, G.P. Chamuris, and A.Y. Rossman. 1989. Fungi on Plants and Plant Products in the United States. APS PRESS: St. Paul, Minnesota. 1252 pp.

Raabe, Robert D., Ibra L. Conners, and Albert P. Martinez. 1981. Checklist of Plant Diseases in Hawaii. Hawaii Institute of Agriculture and Human Resources, College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources, University of Hawaii (Information Text Series 022).

Streets, R.B. 1982. The Diagnosis of Plant Diseases: a field and laboratory manual emphasizing the most practical methods for rapid identification. The University of Arizona Press: Tucson, Arizona.

 

 

JUNE 1994

 

1-ALTERN

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