Author
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Farr, David |
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Castlebury, Lisa |
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Rossman, Amy |
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Submitted to: Mycological Research
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal Publication Acceptance Date: 3/21/2002 Publication Date: N/A Citation: N/A Interpretive Summary: Lingonberry is an edible fruit that has long been consumed in Scandinavian countries and produced by a plant native to the northernmost parts of the northern hemisphere. This plant has only recently been cultivated in the warmer portions of the United States for the commercial production of lingonberries. On lingonberry plants grown commercially in Oregon a fungus was recently found that causes a progressive twig dieback that eventually killed main stems and whole plants. This was determined to be a new species of Phomopsis that is described and illustrated and distinguished from other species of Phomopsis that occur on related hosts. As a result of this research it will be possible for plant pathologists to accurately characterize the fungi that cause diseases of lingonberry and thus to develop better control measures for these diseases. Technical Abstract: A fungus was discovered causing a progressive twig dieback on stems of Vaccinium vitis-idaea (lingonberry) in Oregon. Both morphological and molecular data suggest that the fungus belongs in Diaporthe/Phomopsis but is distinct from P. vaccinii, cause of a dieback and fruit rot of blueberry and cranberry. A new species, Phomopsis columnaris, is described, illustrated, and distinguished from other species of Phomopsis by the distinctive conidiophores that consist of vertically aligned cells lining the base and sides of the conidiomata. The only other species of Phomopsis described on Vaccinium, Phomopsis myrtillii, known from V. myrtillus is redescribed and illustrated based on authentic herbarium material. |
