First Report of Leaf Blotch Caused by Septoria phalaridis on Phalaris paradoxa.

Phalaris paradoxa (hood canarygrass) is one of the most abundant weeds in wheat fields of Iran. In a survey conducted from 2005 to 2007 in Ilam (Dehloran City) and Golestan (Gorgan City) provinces, leaf blotch symptoms were prevalent on P. paradoxa. Initial symptoms were pale brown and necrotic lesions that were 3 to 4 mm long on the leaves. Severity of the disease on the lower leaves was higher than on the upper leaves. Pycnidia were observed on the adaxial surface of infected leaves, scattered or sometimes in clusters, dark brown, globose, and 70 to 90 μm in diameter, with the ostiole approximately 10 μm in diameter. Conidia were filiform, hyaline, 0 to 3 septate (mostly 1 septate), and 17 to 40 × 1.5 to 2.0 μm. Conidiogenesis type was holoblastic. On the basis of the above morphological characters, this species was identified as Septoria phalaridis Cocc. & Morini (2,3). Sequencing the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region of the fungus (GenBank Accession No. GU123926) showed 98% homology to Mycosphaerella graminicola strain 687 and 97% to S. passerinii strain ATCC26515 (GenBank Accession Nos. AB435068.1 and AF181696.1). To confirm pathogenicity of the fungus, 25 P. paradoxa seedlings were inoculated at the three-leaf stage with 20 ml of 1 × 10⁷ spores/ml suspension with a hand sprayer. Plants were covered with a clear polyethylene bag to increase humidity and prevent cross contamination. After 72 h, bags were removed and plants were kept in a greenhouse at 21 ± 2/16 ± 2°C (day/night) and a 16-h photoperiod. Control plants received sterilized distilled water only. Leaves of each plant were visually inspected every day and the appearance of disease symptoms was recorded. After 1 month, all inoculated leaves showed symptoms and signs of the disease such as chlorosis, necrosis, and pycnidia, whereas control plants showed no symptoms or signs of disease. The infected plant tissues were examined with a microscope, the pycnidia and pycnidiospores were measured, and S. phalaridis was reisolated from leaf lesions. The first description of S. phalaridis was on P. brachystachys (1); however, to our knowledge, this is the first report of this pathogen on P. paradoxa. In addition, this is a new fungal species for the mycobiota of Iran. Two voucher specimens (IRAN 14078 F and IRAN 14218 F) were deposited in the Fungus Collection of the Ministry of Jihad-e Agriculture, Tehran, Iran. References: (1) G. Cocconi and F. Morini. Mem. R. Accad. Sci. Ist. Bologna, Cl. Sci. Fis. Ser. 4, 6:371, 1884. (2) M. J. Priest. Fungi of Australia, Septoria. ABRS, Canberra. CSIRO Publishing, Melbourne, 2006. (3) D. N. Teterevnikova-Babayan. Fungi of the Genus Septoria in the USSR. Akademiya Nauk Armyanskoi SSR, Yerevan, 1987.