First report of leaf blight caused by Pestalotiopsis chamaeropis and Neopestalotiopsis sp. in Japanese andromeda

Leaf blight was observed in Japanese andromeda [Pieris japonicasubsp. japonica (Thunb.) D.Don ex G.Don] in Machida, Tokyo, Japan. Typical symptoms included expanding brown spots with reddish borders from the center or edge of the leaf. Pathogenicity test and fungal identification based on morphological and molecular phylogenetic analyses revealed the disease was caused by Pestalotiopsis chamaeropis and Neopestalotiopsis sp. To our knowledge, this is the first report of leaf blight of Japanese andromeda caused by Pestalotiopsis sensu lato in the world. We have named the new disease “leaf blight” of Japanese andromeda (hagare-byo in Japanese).