Disease Note

Brown Rot of Guava Fruit in Hawaii Caused by Botryosphaeria berengeriana. R. K. Kunimoto, Department of Plant Pathology, University of Hawaii, Beaumont Agricultural Research Center, Hilo 96720. W. H. KO, Department of Plant Pathology, University of Hawaii, Beaumont Agricultural Research Center, Hilo 96720. Plant Dis. 68: 918. Accepted for publication 22 June 1984. Copyright 1984 The American Phytopathological Society. DOI: 10.1094/PD-68-918b.

A previously unrecognized fruit rot of guava (Psidium guajava L.) was found at several orchards on the island of Hawaii in 1978. The number of infected fruit has remained about 1% during the past 4 yr. Symptoms are brownish lesions ranging from 20 to 30 mm in diameter. A fungus identified as the Dothiorella state of Botryosphaeria berengeriana de Not. by H. A. van der Aa of Centraalbureau voor Schimmelcultures was isolated consistently from the margins of diseased tissue. Inoculation with B. berengeriana conidia on attached guava fruit showed that only wounded fruit developed brown rot symptoms similar to those observed in the field. B. berengeriana was reisolated from the experimentally infected fruits. Small holes made during insect oviposition were frequently observed in the lesions and may provide a mode of entry for the pathogen under natural conditions.