Alternaria alternata– a new foliar fungal pathogen of tea in North Bengal, India.

The article discusses the first report of a fungal pathogenic Alternaria alternata affecting tea in India. Severe foliar infection was noticed on nursery-grown team plants, Camellia sinensis, between July and September 2003 in five tea estates in the region of Dooars, North Bengal, India. Symptoms first appeared as grayish brown patches around tips and margins of young leaves. A fungus, identified as Alternaria alternata, was isolated from the margins of these patches. Pathogenicity tests were done on 23 tea varieties using detached leaves, cut shoots and whole plants inoculated and tested in the laboratory.