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Pathogen

Alternaria brassicicola

Overview

Scientific name

Alternaria brassicicola

Genus

Alternaria

EPPO code

ALTEBI

Common name

Leaf blight; dark leaf spot

Synonyms

Alternaria circinans

Description

From ISTA's Common Laboratory Seed Health Testing Methods for Detecting Fungi:

Black, shiny growth consisting of conidia in long, narrow chains, is characteristic of the species. Chains simple, rarely branched, beaks not visible. 

Conidia straight, cylindrical usually tapering slightly towards the apex, basal cell rounded, mostly with transverse septa (1-11), longitudinal septa rare, pale to dark olivaceous brown, smooth or becoming slightly warted with age, 18-130 x 8-20μm.

Since both A. brassicicola and A. alternata have long chains and they appear commonly together on seeds of Brassica spp., their identification becomes difficult. A. brassicicola is more shiny, black and condensed in its growth than A. alternata, which is more fluffy, lighter in colour and with rather visible beaks. 

Images of Alternaria brassicicola

Alternaria brassicicola on Brassica oleracea
click for more information

Alternaria brassicicola on Brassica oleracea

Image credits: Ruud Barnhoorn, 0

Cabbage seed placed on PDA+streptomycin agar plates. A. brassicicola appears green grey brownish and clouded over the seed.


sterilisation: Seeds placed on water soaked blotter paper first, incubated overnight at 20C and then put @-20C for 7 days 8 days | growth time: 7 days | temperature: 20+/-2C | lighting: 12 hrs of NUV and 12hrs in darkness | plate size: 90mm | agar: PDA + Streptomycin ( Difco) |
DNA testing: -

Alternaria brassicicola on Brassica oleracea
click for more information

Alternaria brassicicola on Brassica oleracea

Image credits: Ruud Barnhoorn, 0

Cabbage seed placed on PDA+streptomycin agar plates. A. brassicicola appears green grey brownish and clouded over the seed.


sterilisation: Seeds placed on water soaked blotter paper first, incubated overnight at 20C and then put @-20C for 7 days 8 days | growth time: 7 days | temperature: 20+/-2C | lighting: 12 hrs of NUV and 12hrs in darkness | plate size: 90mm | agar: PDA + Streptomycin ( Difco) |
DNA testing: -