Search

In August 2021, jimson weed (Datura stramonium) plants growing as weeds in potato felds in Bolu province, Turkey, exhibited leaf spots with dark concentric rings. Sunken and lens-shaped lesions with a light center were also frequently observed on petioles, branches, and stems. Based on morphological characteristics and phylogenetic analysis of the transcription elongation factor 1-α, RNA polymerase second largest subunit, and glyceraldehyde-3- phosphate dehydrogenase loci, the causal agent was identifed as Alternaria crassa. The pathogen was successfully re-isolated from inoculated jimson weed plants in the pathogenicity assay, proving Koch’s postulates. Alternaria crassa caused necrotic lesions on potato plants, similar to those of early blight, confrming them as an alternative host of the pathogen. This is apparently the frst report of leaf spot caused by A. crassa on jimson weed in Turkey

In June 2020, many plants exhibited symptoms of root rot and foliar blight in the experimental field of common sage in Sanliurfa province, Turkey. The pathogen was identified as Neoscytalidium novaehollandiae based on morphological characteristics and phylogenetic analysis of partial sequence of the transcription elongation factor 1-alpha gene and the internal transcribed spacer of rDNA. Koch's postulates were fulfilled by successful re-isolation of the pathogen from inoculated plants in the pathogenicity assay. To our best knowledge, this is the first report of N. novaehollandiae causing root rot and foliar blight of common sage worldwide.