First Report of Diaporthe phaseolorum Infecting Indian Trumpet Flower (Oroxylum indicum) from India

Abstract

Seed health testing, using the blotter method, revealed some fungal growth on the seed surface of one accession of Indian trumpet flower/Broken bones tree (Oroxylum indicum (L.) Kurz) collected from Kokrajhar, Assam, India. The fungus was identified as Diaporthe phaseolorum (Cooke & Ellis) Sacc. based on morphological characters. Later, the identity was re-confirmed by DNA sequencing using ITS gene sequencing (NCBI Sequence Id: MT154253.1) and a large subunit of rRNA (NCBI Sequence Id: OL798081.1). Literature reveals that D. phaseolorum is a destructive pathogen causing severe yield losses in various host crops. However, detection of D. phaseolorum in Indian trumpet flower seed followed by pathogenicity on its seedlings confirms that O. indicum is a new host record. Being a destructive pathogen of several other crops, such as seed decay and stem canker in soybean, it may pose a serious threat to future cultivation of this herbal plant.