Abstract
All through the occurrence of Rugose spiraling whitefly (Aleurodicus rugioperculatus Martin) infestation in coconut gardens from ICAR-CPCRI, Kayamkulam Regional station, Kerala that commenced during late 2017, a close association of a sooty mould fungus, with the insect feeding was found that was responsible for the cosmetic damage on palm leaflets as well as intercrops grown within the coconut gardens. The fungus was isolated and studied the morphological and molecular character for identification. The vegetative hyphae consist of cylindrical shaped cells having constrictions at the septum and a thick mucilaginous layer covering the cells. The long synnemata originates from the vegetative hyphae which has a bulbous base and funnel-shaped conidiomata at the apex. Conidiomata contains innumerous single celled round to oval shaped conidia. Based on the morphological studies and molecular characterization of the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region of rDNA, the fungus was identified as Leptoxyphium sp., a sooty mold not previously reported from coconut gardens. A classical association of a Leiochrinid beetle devouring sooty mold fungus from palm leaflets was also observed.
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The authors would like to acknowledge NFCCI, Pune for their services in confirming the sooty mold identification.
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Daliyamol, Babu, M., Josephrajkumar, A. et al. Identification of Leptoxyphium sp. causing sooty mold on coconut. Indian Phytopathology 74, 257–261 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s42360-020-00298-9
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s42360-020-00298-9