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Title: FIRST REPORT OF LASMENIA SP. AND TWO SPECIES OF GLIOCEPHALOTRICHUM ON RAMBUTAN IN HAWAII

Author
item Nishijima, Kate
item Follett, Peter
item BUSHE, B - UNIV. OF HAWAII
item NAGAO, M - UNIV. OF HAWAII

Submitted to: Plant Disease
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 10/19/2001
Publication Date: 1/1/2002
Citation: Nishijima, K.A., Follett, P.A., Bushe, B.C., Nagao, M.A. 2002. First report of lasmenia sp. and two species of gliocephalotrichum on rambutan in Hawaii. Plant Disease 86:71.

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: Rambutan (Nephelium lappaceum L.) is a tropical fruit grown in Hawaii for the exotic fruit market. This report describes the isolation, identification and fulfillment of Koch's postulates of fungi isolated from rambutan displaying fruit rot, discolored vascular tissue and leaf spots. In 1998 and 1999, fruit rot was observed periodically from two islands, Hawaii and Kauai, and in 2000, severe fruit rot was observed in orchards in Kurtistown and Papaikou on Hawaii. Symptoms were characterized by brown to black lesions on fruit surface that progressed to blackening and drying of the fruit, which often split the pericarp and exposed the flesh. In certain cultivars, immature, small green fruits were totally mummified. Rambutan trees with high incidences of fruit rot also showed symptoms of branch dieback and leaf spot. Lasmenia sp. was isolated from infected fruit and necrotic leaves. Also associated with some of the fruit rot and/or dieback symptoms were Gliocephalotrichum simplex and G. bulbilium was isolated from discolored vascular tissues and infected fruit. Pathogenicity tests were conducted on rambutan fruit and Koch's postulates were fulfilled with the re-isolation and identification of the fungal pathogens from inoculated fruit with typical symptoms. This is the first report of Lasmenia sp. in Hawaii and the first report of the genus Gliocephalotrichum on rambutan in Hawaii. These pathogens are potentially of economic importance to rambutan in Hawaii.