A BOLL ROT OF COTTON CAUSED BY CORYNESPORA-CASSIICOLA IN TAMIL-NADU, INDIA

A new boll rot disease of cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.) cv. MCU 9 was observed in Tamil Nadu, India, in 1988. The causal organism was isolated in pure culture and identified as Corynespora cassiicola (Berk. & Curt.) Wei. The isolate, which on cotton is pathogenic only to bolls, is considered to be different from a strain of C. Cassiicola known elsewhere causing leaf spot of cotton. The pathogenicity of this fungus on several other important crops was also tested. The fungus produced leaf spot and stem rot diseases on, respectively, eight and six host plants. Root rot, after inoculation, was observed only in Vigna sinensis, Arachis hypogaea and Sesamum indicium. © 1990 Springer Science + Business Media B.V.