IDENTIFICATION OF Elsinoe ampelina ASSOCIATED WITH GRAPEVINE CAUSING ANTHRACNOSE DISEASE IN POTHWAR REGION OF PAKISTAN
MUHAMMAD ZESHAN AHMED
Institute of Plant Protection, MNS-University of Agriculture Multan, Pakistan
SALMAN GHUFFAR *
Vegetable Research Station Sahiwal, Punjab, Pakistan
GULSHAN IRSHAD
Department of Plant Pathology PMAS-Arid Agriculture University Rawalpindi, Pakistan
BUSHRA PARVEEN
Department of Botany, Rawalpindi Women University, Pakistan
MUHAMMAD USSAMA YASIN
Plant Pathology Research Institute, AARI, Faisalabad, Punjab, Pakistan
NASIR MEHMOOD
Department of Botany, Rawalpindi Women University, Pakistan
MUHAMMAD ASIF
Vegetable Research Station Karor, Punjab, Pakistan
UMAR SABTAIN
Vegetable Research Station Sahiwal, Punjab, Pakistan
ABDUL QAYYUM
Vegetable Research Station Sahiwal, Punjab, Pakistan
ZARYAB HASSAN
Vegetable Research Station Sahiwal, Punjab, Pakistan
*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Abstract
Anthracnose is an important disease in vineyards located in the Pothwar region of Pakistan, which is the main grape-producing region in the country. This study aimed to identify the Elsinoe ampelina as causal agent of grapevine anthracnose through morphological characterization, phylogenetic analysis and pathogenicity test. Thirteen isolates were obtained from leaves with anthracnose symptoms collected in twenty vineyards in different location of Pothwar region, Pakistan. During morphological characterization colonies of all isolates showed Whitish grey color with peach edges and wrinkled texture on Potato dextrose agar (PDA) medium. Conidia were found cylindrical to oblong with rounded ends, hyaline, aseptate, 3.57 to 6.95 μm long and 2.03 to 3.40 μm wide. Molecular studies of four independent isolates using the ITS region indicated E. ampelina as the causal agent of anthracnose disease of grapes. Furthermore, the pathogenicity test revealed that anthracnose symptoms on leaves with the maximum number of lesions, when relative humidity was above 95%. However, with this being the first report, E. ampelina is found the potential inoculum source of anthracnose disease on grapes in the Pothwar region of Pakistan. This study will be helpful to adopt possible integrated disease management approaches to overcome the serious losses in susceptible varieties of grapes.
Keywords: Anthracnose, grapevine, morph-molecular identification, Elsinoe ampelina, pothwar region, pathogenicity test