Spring calla lily (Zantedeschia spp.), also known as colored or miniature calla, has markedly increased in popularity in recent years, and the production acreage in the central coast counties of California (Monterey, Santa Cruz, and San Benito), therefore, has significantly increased. Commercial plantings of calla lily (Z. albo maculata and Z. rehmannii hybrids) in California have been infected with a powdery mildew for several years, with the disease particularly evident in late summer and fall. In 2001, powdery mildew was again prevalent, and the pathogen was examined in detail. Initial symptoms consisted of chlorotic, circular-to-oval leaf lesions with diffuse margins. As the disease progressed, white sporulation became visible on lesions. In advanced stages of the disease, the center tissue of lesions turned necrotic. For any such lesion, both the corresponding adaxial and abaxial sides of the leaf always exhibited the symptoms of the disease and developed sporulation of the pathogen. Epidermal strips from both sides of leaves and leaf cross sections were mounted in drops of lactophenol and aniline blue and examined with a light microscope. These preparations showed that epiphytic mycelium was absent and all conidiophores developed from endophytic mycelium and emerged through stomata. Conidiophores carried single or sometimes two conidia and were sometimes branched. Hyaline, single-celled conidia were dimorphic. Primary (terminal) conidia were lanceolate with distinct apical points and measured (58-) 67 to 78 (-81) × 14 to 22 μm. Secondary conidia were ellipsoid-cylindric and measured (56-) 58 to 72 × 17 to 22 μm. For both conidial types, length to width ratios were greater than three. Based on these characters, the pathogen was identified as Leveillula taurica (anamorph Oidiopsis taurica). Cleistothecia were not observed. To test whether the calla lily pathogen could infect another known host of L. taurica, diseased calla lily leaves were gently pressed against leaves of potted tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum) plants (2). Inoculated tomato plants were kept in a humidity chamber for 48 h and maintained in a greenhouse (24 to 26°C). After 12 days, chlorotic lesions appeared on inoculated tomato leaves, and sporulation of L. taurica was observed on the lesions. Uninoculated control tomato plants did not develop powdery mildew. To our knowledge, this is the first report of powdery mildew, caused by L. taurica, on calla lily in North America. This disease has been reported on calla lily in South Africa, Spain, Taiwan, Turkey, and Zimbabwe (1,3,4).
References: (1) Y.-K. Chen et al. Ann. Phytopathol. Soc. Jpn. 62:580, 1996. (2) J. C. Correll et al. Plant Dis. 71:248, 1987. (3) K. A. Hirata. Host Range and Geographic Distribution of the Powdery Mildew Fungi. Japan Scientific Society Press, Tokyo, 1986. (4) E. Sezgin et al. J. Turkish Phytopathol. 13:111, 1984.
