First Occurrence of Alternaria alternata on Gypsophila paniculata in Bulgaria

During late summer 1996 to 1997, 27 to 30% of Gypsophila paniculata (baby's-breath) plants were noted as diseased in an experimental field (Kazanlak, Bulgaria). Symptoms on lower and middle leaves consisted of small circular spots, with light brown centers and reddish purple margins. Development of numerous spots (which grew larger) and, especially, damage to the midrib led to withering of leaflets. Conidiophores of the isolated fungus were dark, formed singly or in clusters, were unbranched with three to eight septa, and were 40 to 120 µm long. Conidia, produced in branched chains (four to six conidia or longer), were brown, globose, and ovate to pyriform with short beaks, contained four to five transverse and zero to two longitudinal septa, and were 36.6 to 46.6 × 10.0 to 13.3 µm. The fungus was identified as Alternaria alternata. Pathogenicity was confirmed by artificial inoculation of potted G. paniculata and Dianthus caryophyllus plants. Conidia (2 weeks old) produced on potato dextrose agar were sprayed on plants in a 5 × 10³ suspension, and plants were incubated at 20 to 24°C in a moist chamber for 2 days. Lesion development in both plant species was observed and recorded at 4 to 5 and 6 to 7 days after inoculation, respectively. Lesions were most numerous on G. paniculata. This is the first report of A. alternata on baby's-breath in Bulgaria. References: (1) M. B. Ellis. 1971. Dematiaceous Hyphomycetes. Commonwealth Mycological Institute, Kew, U.K. (2) E. G. Simmons. Alternaria themes and variations. Mycotaxon 37:79, 1990.