Lasiodiplodia hormozganensis causing leaf blight on Aloe vera in Brazil

Aloe vera is a plant of significant medicinal importance commonly known as "Babosa". It is often cultivated in medicinal gardens and used to produce pharmaceuticals and cosmetics. Between 2019 and 2022, Aloe vera plants at the Medicinal Plants Center of the Federal University of Piaui showed leaf spots and tip drying symptoms. This study aimed to determine the etiological agent responsible for the decline of Aloe vera plants. Four days postinoculation, all symptomatic leaves exhibited necrosis, while control plants remained asymptomatic. Following initial isolations and confirmation of Koch's postulates, the causal agent was conclusively identified as Lasiodiplodia hormozganensis through a multilocus analysis involving the ITS, TEF, and TUB2 genes. It is the first known occurrence of L. hormozganensis causing leaf blight in Aloe vera in Brazil.