Identification, characterization and chemical management of Alternaria alternata causing blackcurrant leaf spot in China.

AIM: The aims of this study were to identify the pathogen causing blackcurrant leaf spot, assess the pathogenicity of different isolates, the host range, and the sensitivity to common fungicides, and test the effectiveness of field control for controlling A. alternata in blackcurrants in China, and potentially elsewhere.

METHODS AND RESULTS: In 2020 and 2021, an uncommon leaf spot on blackcurrants was observed in Harbin (125°42'-130°10'E, 44°04'-46°40'N), Heilongjiang Province, China. Based on morphological, molecular characteristics and phylogenetic analyses, 10 fungal isolates, identified as Alternaria alternata, were obtained from infected blackcurrant leaves of 10 infected plants in this study. To our knowledge, this is the first description of A. alternata as a causal agent of leaf spot on blackcurrants in China. A. alternata has a wide host range and infects eight of 10 crop and ornamental plants evaluated, namely Sorbus pohuashanensis, Malus pumila, Rosa davurica, Padus racemosa, Hippophae rhamnoides, Crataegus pinnatifida, Pyrus ussuriensis, and Sambucus williamsii, but not Viburnum trilobum and Prunus tomentosa. Moreover, ten blackcurrant cultivars were screened and found to have contrasting levels of resistance to A. alternata. One was moderately resistant, four were resistant, four were susceptible, and one was highly susceptible. A. alternata isolate was most sensitive to propiconazole-azoxystrobin, with EC50 values of 0.0038 μg ml-1 and efficacy ranging between 83.34% and 84.13% at 317 μg ml-1 in the field.

CONCLUSIONS: The work reported that A. alternata is the pathogen that causes blackcurrant leaf spot in northern China. It can infect a variety of crop and ornamental plants. Considering the control cost and effect, propiconazole-azoxystrobin is more suitable for controlling leaf spot in the field.