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19 September 2022

Alternaria alternata (alternaria leaf spot)

Identity

Preferred Scientific Name
Alternaria alternata
Preferred Common Name
alternaria leaf spot
Other Scientific Names
Alternaria alternata f.sp. fragariae Dingley
Alternaria alternata f.sp. lycopersici Grogan et al.
Alternaria fasciculata
Alternaria tenuis Nees
International Common Names
English
brown blight
brown spot
brown spot: tobacco
core rot: apple
fruit rot: tomato
leaf blight: bean
leaf blight: beet
moldy core: apple
stem canker: tomato
storage rot: apple
storage rot: pear
strawberry leaf spot
Spanish
alternariosis
alternariosis del tomate
chancro de tallo del tomate
mancha parda
French
alternariose
alternariose de la betterave
alternariose des agrumes
chancre de la tige de la tomate
gale du poirier
maladie du plant de tabac
Local Common Names
Germany
Duerrfleckenkrankheit: Ruebe
Duerrfleckenkrankheit: Tabak
Fleckenkrankheit: Bohne
Fleckenkrankheit: Ruebe
Lagerfaeule: Apfel
Lagerfaeule: Birne
Tabakschwamm
EPPO code
ALTEAL (Alternaria alternata)

Pictures

Alternaria alternata (alternaria leaf spot); Alternaria rot on sweet cherry. Note flattened, wrinkled lesions on dark fruit in the field.
Symptoms
Alternaria alternata (alternaria leaf spot); Alternaria rot on sweet cherry. Note flattened, wrinkled lesions on dark fruit in the field.
©Alan L. Jones
Alternaria alternata (alternaria leaf spot); on Gold sweet cherry. Note flattened, wrinkled lesions on fruit.
Symptoms
Alternaria alternata (alternaria leaf spot); on Gold sweet cherry. Note flattened, wrinkled lesions on fruit.
©Alan L. Jones
Alternaria stem cankers
Alternaria alternata f. sp. lycopersici
Alternaria stem cankers
Jack Kelly Clark/UC Davis IPM
CABI

Distribution

This content is currently unavailable.

Host Plants and Other Plants Affected

HostHost statusReferences
Abelmoschus esculentus (okra)Unknown
Ziedan (2012)
Bilal et al. (2017)
Farrag (2011)
Acacia nilotica (gum arabic tree)Main 
Acer saccharum (sugar maple)Unknown 
Achyranthes japonica (Japanese chaff flower)Unknown
Lee and Nguyen (2017)
ActinidiaUnknown
Li et al. (2018)
Actinidia chinensis (Chinese gooseberry)Other
Li et al. (2017)
Actinidia deliciosa (kiwifruit)Other
Mousakhah et al. (2014)
Aegle marmelos (golden apple)Unknown
Maurya et al. (2016)
Agave americana (century plant)Other
Mirhosseini et al. (2015)
Albizia lebbeck (Indian siris)Unknown 
Alcea rosea (Hollyhock)Unknown
Garibaldi et al. (2020)
AlliumMain 
Allium cepa (onion)Unknown
Bihon et al. (2015)
Muradov et al. (2019)
Swati et al. (2011)
Allium sativum (garlic)Unknown 
Aloe vera (true aloe)Other
Chen and Zhong (2017)
Rashtra (2017)
Althaea officinalis (Marsh-mallow)Unknown
Bagherabadi et al. (2015)
Pavlović et al. (2008)
Amaranthus (amaranth)Unknown 
Amaranthus albus (tumble pigweed)Unknown
Bagherabadi et al. (2015)
AnigozanthosUnknown 
Annona cherimola (cherimoya)Other 
Arachis hypogaea (groundnut)Unknown 
Armoracia rusticana (horseradish)Other 
Aronia melanocarpa (black chokeberry)Unknown
Kwon et al. (2016)
AsterUnknown
Hilal (2004)
Astragalus cicer (Cicer milkvetch)Unknown 
Avena sativa (oats)Unknown
Chen et al. (2020)
Azadirachta indica (neem tree)Unknown 
Backhousia myrtifoliaOther 
Bambusa (bamboo)Unknown 
Basella alba (malabar spinach)Other
Mao et al. (2016)
Berberis darwiniiUnknown
Waipara et al. (2005)
Berberis glaucocarpaUnknown
Waipara et al. (2005)
Berberis vulgaris (European barberry)Unknown
Tomoshevich et al. (2013)
Beta vulgaris var. saccharifera (sugarbeet)Unknown 
Boehmeria nivea (ramie)Unknown
Yu et al. (2016)
Borago officinalis (Borage)Unknown 
Brassica carinata (African cabbage)Other
Dunbar et al. (2017)
Brassica juncea var. juncea (Indian mustard)Unknown 
Brassica napusUnknown
Maširević et al. (2014)
Brassica napus var. napus (rape)Unknown 
Brassica oleracea (cabbages, cauliflowers)Unknown
Muradov et al. (2019)
Brassica oleracea var. capitata (cabbage)Unknown 
Brassica rapa subsp. oleifera (turnip rape)Unknown 
Brassicaceae (cruciferous crops)Main 
Bruguiera gymnorhiza (black mangrove)Other
Lin et al. (2015)
Cajanus cajan (pigeon pea)Unknown 
Calendula (marigolds)Unknown 
Calendula officinalis (Pot marigold)Unknown
Rashtra (2017)
Calotropis gigantea (Yercum fibre)Wild host 
Calotropis procera (apple of sodom)Unknown
Rashtra (2017)
Camellia sinensis (tea)Other
Chakraborty et al. (2006)
Zhou and Xu (2014)
Campanula mediumOther 
Campanula rapunculoides (creeping bellflower)Other
Garibaldi et al. (2019)
CannaUnknown 
Cannabis sativa (hemp)Other 
Capsicum (peppers)Unknown 
Capsicum annuum (bell pepper)Main 
Carica papaya (pawpaw)Other
Helal et al. (2018)
Carthamus tinctorius (safflower)Unknown
Alves et al. (2016)
Carya illinoinensis (pecan)  
Catharanthus roseus (Madagascar periwinkle)Other 
Ceratonia siliqua (carob)Unknown
El-Gali (2014)
Cercis siliquastrum (Judas tree)Other
Tziros (2015)
Chenopodium album (fat hen)Wild host
Ramanuj et al. (2014)
Chlorophytum comosum (ribbon plant)Other
Muthukumar and Venkatesh (2013)
Chlorophytum tuberosumOther 
Chrysanthemum morifolium (chrysanthemum (florists'))Unknown
Domínguez-Serrano et al. (2016)
Gauna et al. (2020)
Cicer arietinum (chickpea)Unknown
Shahnaz et al. (2007)
Cichorium intybus (chicory)Unknown
Karantemiris et al. (2015)
Han et al. (2020)
Cissus quadrangularis (treebine)Unknown 
Citrullus lanatus (watermelon)Other
Zhao et al. (2016)
CitrusUnknown
Nosheen et al. (2013)
Citrus deliciosa (mediterranean mandarin)Unknown 
Citrus limon (lemon)Unknown 
Citrus reticulata (mandarin)Other
Peever et al. (2002)
Citrus sinensis (sweet orange)Unknown 
Citrus x paradisi (grapefruit)Unknown 
Colocasia esculenta (taro)Other 
Coriandrum sativum (coriander)Unknown 
Corylus avellana (hazel)Unknown
Duran et al. (2021)
Corylus heterophylla (siberian hazel)Unknown 
Corymbia citriodora (lemon-scented gum)Unknown 
Cotinus coggygria (fustet)Unknown
Zhang et al. (2018)
Cucumis melo (melon)Unknown 
Cucumis sativus (cucumber)Unknown
Bagherabadi et al. (2015)
Muradov et al. (2019)
Al-Sadi et al. (2011)
Cucurbita moschata (pumpkin)Unknown
Bilal et al. (2017)
Cucurbita pepo (marrow)Unknown
Bilal et al. (2017)
Muradov et al. (2019)
Cuminum cyminum (cumin)Unknown
Özer and Bayraktar (2015)
Cyclamen persicum (cyclamens)Unknown 
Cydonia oblonga (quince)Other 
CymbidiumOther 
Cynara cardunculus (cardoon)Other 
Cynara cardunculus var. scolymus (globe artichoke)Unknown
Tziros (2015)
Cyphomandra betacea (tree tomato)Unknown 
DahliaUnknown 
Dahlia pinnata (garden dahlia)Habitat/association 
Datura metel (Hindu datura)Unknown 
Daucus carota (carrot)Unknown
Bilal et al. (2017)
Dendrobium catenatumOther
Liu et al. (2016)
Zhang et al. (2018)
Dianthus caryophyllus (carnation)Other 
Digera arvensisUnknown
Kondaiah and Sreeramulu (2014)
Digitalis lanata (Grecian foxglove)Unknown
Yadav and Negi (2017)
Diospyros (malabar ebony)Unknown
Bagherabadi et al. (2015)
Diospyros kaki (persimmon)Other
Lee et al. (2013)
Echinacea purpurea (purple coneflower)Unknown
Garibaldi et al. (2018)
Pavlović et al. (2008)
Eleusine indica (goose grass)Unknown 
Ensete lasiocarpumOther
Fu et al. (2014)
Eriobotrya japonica (loquat)Unknown
Tziros (2013)
Mirhosseini and Babaeizad (2015)
Mirhosseini et al. (2015)
Euphorbia pulcherrima (poinsettia)Unknown
Orlikowski and Ptaszek (2013)
Ficus benghalensis (banyan)Unknown
Akhtar and Nayab (2017)
Ficus carica (common fig)Other
Latinović et al. (2014)
Ficus microcarpa (Indian laurel tree)Other
Yao et al. (2015)
Foeniculum vulgare (fennel)Other
Shi et al. (2016)
Fragaria (strawberry)Unknown 
Fragaria ananassa (strawberry)Other
Mehmood et al. (2018)
Fraxinus excelsior (ash)Unknown
Bagherabadi et al. (2015)
Galium aparine (cleavers)Unknown 
Gerbera jamesonii (African daisy)Other 
Glycine max (soyabean)Unknown 
Gossypium (cotton)Unknown 
Helianthus annuus (sunflower)Other
Arzanlou et al. (2012)
Helianthus tuberosus (Jerusalem artichoke)Unknown 
Helianthus verticillatusUnknown
Edwards et al. (2017)
Heliotropium indicum (Indian heliotrope)Unknown 
Hevea brasiliensis (rubber)Other
Cai et al. (2015)
Hordeum vulgare (barley)Unknown
Agostinetto et al. (2020)
Al-Sadi and Deadman (2010)
Houttuynia cordata (chameleon-plant)Other 
Humulus lupulus (hop)Unknown 
Hydrangea paniculata (peegee hydrangea)Unknown
Liu et al. (2017)
Hylotelephium erythrostictumUnknown
Li et al. (2018)
Hyoscyamus niger (black henbane)Unknown 
Hypericum perforatum (St John's wort)Unknown
Pavlović et al. (2008)
Idesia polycarpa (idesia)Other 
Ilex aquifolium (holly)Other 
Ilex crenata (Japanese holly)Unknown
Song et al. (2020)
Ipomoea aquatica (swamp morning-glory)Unknown 
Ipomoea purpurea (tall morning glory)Unknown
Yang et al. (2018)
Jatropha curcas (jatropha)Other 
Juglans regia (walnut)Unknown
Bagherabadi et al. (2015)
Lactuca sativa (lettuce)Unknown
Bagherabadi et al. (2015)
Laurus nobilis (sweet bay)Unknown
Göre and Bucak (2007)
Lavandula (lavender)Unknown 
Lawsonia inermis (Egyptian privet)Unknown 
Lens culinarisUnknown
Chaudhary et al. (2010)
Lens culinaris subsp. culinaris (lentil)Unknown 
Lepidium draba (hoary cress)Unknown
Bagherabadi et al. (2015)
LeucadendronUnknown
Bethencourt et al. (2001)
Linum usitatissimum (flax)Unknown 
Litchi chinensis (lichi)Unknown
Alam et al. (2017)
Lonicera caeruleaOther
Mirzwa-Mróz et al. (2018)
Luffa aegyptiaca (loofah)Unknown
Rashtra (2017)
Lupinus albus (white lupine)Unknown
El-Nagerabi and Elshafie (2000)
Macrotyloma uniflorum (horsegram)Unknown 
Malus domestica (apple)Other
Jurick et al. (2014)
Elfar et al. (2018)
Mangifera indica (mango)Unknown
Khaskheli et al. (2008)
Medicago (medic)Unknown 
Medicago sativa (lucerne)Unknown
Bagherabadi et al. (2015)
Mentha arvensis (Corn mint)Unknown 
Mentha piperita (Peppermint)Other
Zarandi et al. (2014)
Garibaldi et al. (2018)
Metasequoia glyptostroboides (water fir)Unknown 
Momordica charantia (bitter gourd)Unknown
Bilal et al. (2017)
Morus (mulberrytree)Unknown 
Murraya koenigii (curry leaf tree)Unknown 
Musa (banana)Other
Parkunan et al. (2013)
Renu and Lal (2009)
Musa acuminata (wild banana)Other
Amani and Avagyan (2014)
Nicotiana tabacum (tobacco)Unknown
Lingaraj et al. (2018)
Ocimum basilicum (basil)Unknown 
Ocimum gratissimum (African basil)Unknown
Kumar et al. (2016)
Olea europaeaUnknown
Chliyeh et al. (2014)
Piccolo et al. (2014)
Lagogianni et al. (2017)
Olea europaea subsp. europaea (European olive)Unknown 
Opuntia ficus-indica (prickly pear)Unknown
Flores-Flores et al. (2013)
Ammar et al. (2004)
Origanum vulgare (oregano)Unknown
Zimowska (2015)
Oryza sativa (rice)Unknown
Cother et al. (2004)
OsmanthusOther 
Panax ginseng (Asiatic ginseng)Unknown
Li et al. (2020)
Panicum virgatumOther 
Parthenium hysterophorus (parthenium weed)Unknown
Kondaiah and Sreeramulu (2014)
Pelargonium (pelargoniums)Main 
Pennisetum glaucum (pearl millet)Unknown 
Persea americana (avocado)Unknown 
PetuniaUnknown 
Phaseolus coccineus (runner bean)Unknown 
Phaseolus vulgaris (common bean)Unknown
Muradov et al. (2019)
PhilodendronOther
Zhou et al. (2014)
Phoenix dactylifera (date-palm)Other
Maitlo et al. (2014)
El-Deeb et al. (2007)
Ammar and El-Naggar (2011)
Phyllanthus emblica (Indian gooseberry)Unknown 
Picea abies (common spruce)Unknown 
Pinellia ternata (east-African arum)Unknown
Wei et al. (2020)
Pinus (pines)Unknown 
Piper betle (betel pepper)Unknown
Shahzad (2001)
Pistacia terebinthus (terebinth pistachio)Unknown
López-Moral et al. (2018)
Pistacia vera (pistachio)Main
Guldur et al. (2011)
Pisum sativum (pea)Unknown
Muradov et al. (2019)
Pityopsis ruthii (Ruth's golden aster)Unknown
Edwards et al. (2017)
Plectranthus scutellarioides (coleus)Unknown
Garibaldi et al. (2020)
Plumbago zeylanicaUnknown
Parashurama et al. (2013)
Polyalthia longifolia (debdar) (garlic)Other
Akhtar et al. (2016)
Populus (poplars)Unknown 
Populus alba (silver-leaf poplar)Unknown
Tomoshevich et al. (2013)
Populus euphratica (Euphrates poplar)Other 
Prunus armeniaca (apricot)Unknown 
Prunus domestica (plum)Unknown
Bagherabadi et al. (2015)
Prunus dulcis (almond)Unknown 
Prunus persica (peach)Unknown
Bagherabadi et al. (2015)
Nadia et al. (2016)
Prunus pseudocerasus (chinese fruiting cherry)Other 
Prunus salicina (Japanese plum)Main 
Pteridium aquilinum (bracken)Unknown
Asav et al. (2013)
Punica granatum (pomegranate)Other
Berbegal et al. (2014)
Faedda et al. (2015)
Tziros (2015)
Mamay and Bilgili (2020)
Pyrus (pears)Unknown
Chen et al. (2020)
Pyrus communis (European pear)Unknown 
Quercus griffithiiUnknown
Ng and Chhetry (2006)
Quercus robur (common oak)Unknown
Tomoshevich et al. (2013)
Quercus serrata (glandbearing oak)Unknown
Ng and Chhetry (2006)
Raphanus sativus (radish)Unknown
Bilal et al. (2017)
Rauvolfia serpentina (snakewood)Unknown
Yasmin and Shamsi (2020)
Rhaponticum repens (Russian knapweed)Unknown
Bagherabadi et al. (2015)
Rhodiola sachalinensisUnknown
Liu et al. (2017)
Ricinus communis (castor bean)Unknown
Kondaiah and Sreeramulu (2014)
Rosa (roses)Other
Bagherabadi et al. (2015)
Abbas et al. (2017)
Rosa damascena (Damask rose)Other
Baradaran et al. (2012)
Rosa hybridaUnknown
Fang et al. (2020)
Rosmarinus officinalis (rosemary)Unknown 
Rumex alpinus (alpine dock)Unknown
Bagherabadi et al. (2015)
Rumex obtusifolius (broad-leaved dock)Unknown
Moccellin et al. (2018)
Rumex vesicariusWild host 
Salix (willows)Unknown
Bagherabadi et al. (2015)
Salvia dorisiana (fruit-scented sage)Unknown
Garibaldi et al. (2019)
Salvia farinaceaHabitat/association 
Salvia officinalis (common sage)Unknown
Pavlović et al. (2008)
Salvia splendens (scarlet sage)Habitat/association 
Schizophyllum commune (wood rot)Unknown 
Sesamum indicum (sesame)Unknown 
Shorea robusta (sal)Unknown
Rashtra (2017)
Sida acuta (sida)Unknown
Kondaiah and Sreeramulu (2014)
Solanum lycopersicum (tomato)Unknown
Bagherabadi et al. (2015)
Ren et al. (2017)
Muradov et al. (2019)
Solanum melongena (aubergine)Unknown
Muradov et al. (2019)
Solanum muricatum (melon pear)Unknown
Li et al. (2016)
Solanum tuberosum (potato)Unknown
Zheng and Wu (2013)
Bagherabadi et al. (2015)
Iftikhar et al. (2018)
Shahid et al. (2017)
Naim (2007)
SorghumUnknown
Zhao et al. (2016)
Sorghum bicolor (sorghum)Other 
SpathiphyllumUnknown
Blagojević et al. (2017)
Spinacia oleracea (spinach)Other
Czajka et al. (2015)
Staphylea bumaldaUnknown
Wei et al. (2018)
Swertia cordataOther
Yadav and Negi (2016)
Syringa oblataUnknown
Li et al. (2017)
Tabebuia impetiginosa (white tabebuia)Unknown
Dal et al. (2015)
Tagetes erecta (Mexican marigold)Other
Li et al. (2014)
Tagetes patula (French marigold)Habitat/association 
Tectona grandis (teak)Unknown
Ai et al. (2015)
Tilia cordata (small-leaf lime)Unknown
Tomoshevich et al. (2013)
Tinospora sinensisUnknown
Kondaiah and Sreeramulu (2014)
Trichosanthes kirilowiiOther
Zhang et al. (2016)
Trifolium alexandrinum (Berseem clover)Unknown 
Trifolium repens (white clover)Unknown
Ünal et al. (2020)
Trigonella foenum-graecum (fenugreek)Unknown 
Triticum aestivum (wheat)Unknown
Bagherabadi et al. (2015)
Al-Sadi and Deadman (2010)
Shamim et al. (2006)
Shazia and Iftikhar (2005)
Nasreen et al. (2019)
Typha latifolia (broadleaf cattail)Unknown
Mazurkiewicz-Zapałowicz et al. (2011)
Ulmus minor (European field elm)Other
Tziros (2016)
Vaccinium (blueberries)Unknown
Yu et al. (2018)
Vaccinium corymbosum (blueberry)Unknown 
Vicia faba (faba bean)Unknown 
Vigna aconitifolia (moth bean)Unknown 
Vigna umbellata (rice bean)Unknown 
Vitis vinifera (grapevine)Unknown
Haleem et al. (2013)
Ben et al. (2014)
Ghuffar et al. (2018)
Úrbez-Torres et al. (2006)
Voandzeia subterranea (bambara groundnut)Unknown 
Withania coagulansOther 
Zanthoxylum piperitumOther
Yang et al. (2013)
Zea mays (maize)Unknown
Muradov et al. (2019)
Zingiber officinale (ginger)Unknown 
Ziziphus jujuba (common jujube)Other
Bai et al. (2015)
Bai et al. (2015)
Ziziphus mauritiana (jujube)Main
Alam et al. (2018)

List of Symptoms/Signs

Symptom or signLife stagesSign or diagnosis
Plants/Fruit/lesions: black or brown  

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Published online: 19 September 2022

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English

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