Neopestalotiopsis clavispora and Pseudopestalotiopsis camelliae-sinensis causing grey blight disease of tea (Camellia sinensis) in Malaysia

Tea (Camellia sinensis) is a popular and extensively consumed beverage in Malaysia along with many other countries around the world. Grey blight is one of the destructive fungal diseases infecting tea plants which resulted in major yield loss of tea production. Typical symptoms of tea grey blight were observed in Cameron Highlands, Pahang, Malaysia from July to December 2019 which involved the formation of tiny, circular to irregular brown spots that gradually enlarged, turned darker and eventually hampered plant growth. A total of 45 fungal isolates were isolated from grey leaf blight of tea and were identified as Neopestalotiopsis clavispora (24 isolates), and Pseudopestalotiopsis camelliae-sinensis (21 isolates). Morphological characterisation and multigene phylogenetic resolution using internal transcribed spacer (ITS), beta-tubulin (tub2), and translation elongation factor 1-alpha (tef1-alpha) were applied to identify the fungal isolates. Pathogenicity tests on leaves of C. sinensis showed that all fungal isolates of N. clavispora and Ps. camelliae-sinensis caused grey blight disease. The present study highlighted the occurrence of grey blight disease of tea in Malaysia caused by N. clavispora and Ps. camelliae-sinensis. The findings from the present study could be beneficial in proper disease monitoring, and effective management purposes of tea plants.