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Helleborus net necrosis virus (HeNNV) in hellebores (Helleborus spp.) has been detected for the first time in Japan. Infected plants had black streaks on fresh leaves and black spots on sepals, which resembled the symptoms of black death disease. The morphology of the virus particles isolated from infected plants was comparable to that of carlaviruses. RT-PCR analysis showed that the entire HeNNV genomic sequence isolated in Japan shared 99% identity with that of HeNNV previously reported in the United States.

In 2007, a rust disease of ohia (Metrosideros polymorpha) was found in Japan. We identified this pathogen as Puccinia psidii based on its morphological characters and the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) sequence of the ribosomal DNA. This pathogen was pathogenic on Eucalyptus amplifolia and E. rudis in addition to previously reported host species. This is the first report in Japan of a rust disease on ohia and the occurrence of its causal fungus, P. psidii.

In summer 2007, leaf and stem rot of ice plants was found in a hydroponic greenhouse in Japan. The causal agent was a fungus identified as Choanephora cucurbitarum (Berkeley & Ravenel) Thaxter, based on pathogenicity, morphology, mating tests, and sequence analysis of the ribosomal DNA ITS region.

For the first time, plum pox virus (PPV) has been detected in commercial Japanese apricot (Prunus mume) trees in Tokyo, Japan. These trees had ringspot or mottle on leaves, color breaking of petals and, occasionally, mild ringspots and malformation on fruits. The virus was identified based on the morphology of virus particles, serology, and RT-PCR. The amplified nucleotide fragment shared 100% identity with a partial coat protein gene of PPV-D isolates.