Anthracnose and leaf spot diseases of Aloe vera L. from Bangladesh

Abstract

Characteristic symptoms of anthracnose and leaf spot were recorded from
diseased leaf samples of Aloe vera L. A total of 8 fungal species, namely Alternaria
pluriseptata (Karst. & Har.) Jorstad, Aspergillus flavus Link, Aspergillus niger Van
Tieghem, Cladosporium oxysporum Berk. & Curt., Colletotrichum gloeosporioides
(Penz.) Sacc., Nigrospora oryzae (Berk. & Br.) Petch, Penicillium sp. and
Pestalotiopsis guepinii (Desm.) Stay. were found to be associated with healthy and
diseased leaf samples. In addition to above 8 fungi, Curvularia brachyospora
Boedijn, Epicoccum purpurascens Ehrenb. ex Schlecht and Sclerotium sp. were also
associated with diseased leaf samples of the plant. The prevalence of the fungi
ranged 1.43 - 13.35% on healthy leaves and 1.43 - 62.16% on infected leaves. The
frequency of C. gloeosporioides was the maximum and that of Aspergillus and
Penicillium was the lowest. Pathogenicity test revealed that C. gloeosporioides
causes anthracnose and E. purpurascens and P. guepinii cause leaf spots of A. vera.