First report of tar spot of Toona (Toona ciliata) in India

A new foliar disease of toona tree has been reported during continuous surveys conducted at Solan district of Himachal Pradesh during August, 2015 to December, 2015. On the basis of morphological characteristics of the fungus, the fungus was identified as Rhytisma acerinum, which produces symptoms on upper surface of the leaves as numerous small, superficial and blackish lesion which later gives the similar appearance as given by tar. Tar spot of the toona tree produces the ascomata whose size ranges from 14-16 µm with average of 15µm, asci length varied from 60-80 x 9.5-10.2 µm and size of ascospores varied from 52-58 x 1.8-2.0 µm. Tar Spot disease of leaves of Toona in Himachal Pradesh is the first report of its occurrence and more work is needed so that the disease could remain in manageable level.