Subdivition: Deuteromycotina: class: Coelomycetes (Sphaeropsidales), class:

Hyphomycetes (Hyphomycetales, Agonomycetales)

General characters
Fungi possess branched, septate and multinucleate mycelium. They reproduce through
asexual methods. the most common method of reproduction is by conidia. No sexual spores are
produced. They are called as Fungi Imperfecti.
Classification
Key to Classes of Deuteromycotina
A. True mycelium lacking or not well-developed, soma is made up of yeast (budding) cells with
or without pseudomycelium .. Blastomycetes. AA. Mycelium well-developed, assimilative
budding cells absent ... B, BB
B. Reproduction by conidia borne in pycnidia or acervuli ... Coelomycetes BB. Reproduction
absent i.e. sterile forms or takes place by conidia produced on separate hyphae or aggregations of
hyphae (as synnemata or sporodochia) but not within pycnidia or acervuli ... Hyphomycetes
Class: Coelomycetes
The members are found both in tropical and temperate regions. They are commonly
found in cultivated and uncultivated soils, leaf litter organic debris, fresh water and saline water.
They may found on other fungi and lichens. They are also pathogens of plants, insects and
vertebrates. Coelomycetes is divided into two orders, Melanconiales and Sphaeropsidales. In this
class conidia are produced either in acervuli or pycnidia and accordingly the members have been
grouped into two orders:
1 Conidia produced in acervuli -Melanconiales
2 Conidia produced in pycnidia –Sphaeropsidales
Order: Melanconiales
In Melanconiales the fructifications are acervuli. It contains a single family,
'Melanconiaceae'which is characterized by the production of acervuli. Acervuli may develop
subepidermally or subcuticularly. Conidia may be hyaline to cream, pink, orange or black.
Acervuli develop by simple meristogenous, compound meristogenous or sympogenous methods.
More than 120 genera are included in this family and they cause plant disease known as
anthracnose. The important genera are
1. Colletotrichum
2. Coryneum
3. Cylindrosporium
4. Entomosporium
5. Marssoninia
6. Melanconium
7. Monochaetia
8. Pestalotia
9. Pestalotiopsis
10. Gloeosporium
11. Sphaceloma
12. Didymosporium
13. Septogloeum
Colletotrichum
Acervuli may be subcuticular, epidermal or subepidermal. They may be either separate or
confluent. Conidiophores are hyaline to brown, septate, smooth, branched at the base. Conidia
are hyaline, unicellular, falcate or lunate (sickleshaped) or cylindrical.. Perfect state of the fungus
belongs to Glomerella. The important plant pathogenic species of Colletotrichum are given
below:
C. capsici-Fruit rot and dieback ofchillies, anthracnoseand boll rot of cotton.
C. circinans -Smudge of onion
C. coffeanum -Coffee berry disease
C. falcatum -Red rot of sugarcane
C. gloeosporioidesAnthracnose of citrus andbanana.
C. graminicola Anthracnose of corn and sorghum .
C. lindemuthianum-Anthracnose of cowpea andPhaseolus spp.
C. musae -Anthracnose of banana(Gloeosporium musarum)
C. truncatum -Anthracnose of legumes.
Pestalotia (Pestalozzia)
The genus is characterized by the conidia which are fusiform, straight or slightly curved
and five septate, with four median cells brown and end cells hyaline lacking cytoplasm. There
may be 3-9 apical, cellular, simple or dichotomously branched appendages and one basal
endogenous cellular, simple or branched appendage. The conidiophores are long, branched and
septate. The fructifications are dark brown.
Pestalotiopsis
Pestalotiopsis differ from Pestalotia in the production of 4 septate conidia (5 celled) with
two or more apical appendages and conidiogenous cell with several proliferations. The
fructifications eustromatic and cupulate. Acervuli are subepidermal and are irregularly erumpent
through the epidermis or longitudinal cracks may appear. They are either found on decaying
leaves. Many are important plant pathogens.
P. palmarum -Grey blight of coconut (Pestilential palmarum) and other palms.
P. theae -Grey blight of tea and blight of (Pestalotia theae) mango, palms and cotton.
P. mangiferae -Grey blight of mango (Pestalotia mangiferae)
Order: Sphaeropsidales
In this order the conidia and conidiogenous cells or conidiophores are produced in
pycnidia. Mycelium may be immersed in the substrate or superficial. Conidia are produced in
several ways from phialides, annellides etc. Conidia are solitary, sympodial catenate etc.
Sphaeropsidales is divided into four families based on the colour, shape and texture of the
pycnidia. They are Sphaeropsidaceae ,Nectrioidaceae (Zythiaceae), Leptostromataceae and
Excipulaceae (Discellaceae).
Family : Sphaeropsidaceae
This is a large family consisting of both saprobes and a stroma. These are tough, leathery
to brittle, globose, ostiolate and dark coloured. The spores are hyaline spherical or oval and often
exude from the ostiole in damp weather in a worm like mass or citrus.
Macrophomina
Mycelium superficial or immersed, hyaline to brown, branched, septate, often tree like in
form (dendroid). Pycnidia separate, globose, dark brown, immersed, with one cavity, thick-
walled; wall consisting of an outer layer of darkbrown; thick walled, closely packed polyhedral
cells, becoming hyaline towards the inside. Ostiole central, circular, papillate. Conidiophores
absent. Conidiogenous cells enteroblastic, phialidic, determinate, lageniform to doliform,
hyaline, smooth with aperture and minute collarette, formed from cells lining the pycnidial
cavity.
Conidia (Pycnospores) hyaline, aseptate, obtuse at each end straight cylindrical to fusiform, thin-
walled, smooth with aperture and minute collarette, formed from cells lining the pycnidial cavity.
Conidia (Pycnospores) hyaline, aseptate, obtuse at each end, straight cylindrical to fusiform,
thin-walled, smooth, may be guttulate. Forming mainly sclerotia in cultures, which are black,
smooth, hard, formed of dark-brown thickwalled cells. The genus Macrophomina is monotypic
and contains the only species, M. phaseolina, Macrophomina phaseolina (syn .Rhizoctonia
bataticola). This fungus causes charcoal rot, ashy stem blight, Dry root rot, canker, damping off
and leaf lesions on hosts like sorghum, pearl millet, soybean, groundnut, cotton, Phaseolus spp.,
tomato, potato etc.,
Ascochyta
It is a very large and widely distributed genus containing about 350 species. Most of them
are plant pathogens. Mycelium immersed, branched, septate, hyaline to pale brown. Pycnidia are
amphigenous, separate, globose, brown, immersed, unilocular and thin-walled. Ostiole central,
circular, slightly papillate. Conidiophores are absent. Conidiogenous cells enteroblastic,
phialidic, determinate , discrete, doliform to lageniform, hyaline, smooth, formed from the inner
cells of pycnidial cavity. Conidia hyaline, thin-walled, cylindrical, ovoid, oblong to irregular,
medianly one-septate, continuous or constricted at the septum. Conidia may be guttulate.
The important plant pathogens are as follows:
A. abelmoschi -Leaf, fruit and stem spot of lady's finger.
A. caricae-papayae -Fruit rot of papaya
A. fabae -Leaf and pod spot of broad beans
A. melongenae -Leaf spot of lady's finger
A. phaseolorum -Leaf and pod spot of common bean and other legumes.
A. pisi -Leaf and pod spot of pea.
A. pinodes -Foot rot or blight of pea
A. rabiei -Blight of chickpea
A. sorghi -Leaf spot of sorghum
Septoria
It is a large and cosmopolitan genus with 1000 species, which are parasitic causing leaf
spot diseases in plants. The pycnidia are immersed in the substratum and are either separate or
aggregated and not confluent. They are globose, ostiolate, thin walled and brown. . Conidia are
hyaline, smooth, filiform (scolecospore), continuous or constricted at septa. The perfect states in
Ascomycotina genera are Mycosphaerella and Leptosphaeria.
Septoria apii -Celery leaf blight
S. chrysanthemella -Black leaf spot of sweet potato
S. bataticola -Leaf spot of sweetpotato
S. glycinea -Brown spot of soybean
S. lycopersici -Leaf spot of tomato
S. nodorum -Speckled leaf blotch of wheat
S. thespesiae -Leaf spot of Portia tree
S. tritici -Leaf spot of wheat
Family: Excipulaceae (Discellaceae) (Genera: Excipula, Discula, Dinemosporium,
Sporonema)
Class: Hyphomycetes
Hawksworth et al. (1983) classified Hyphomycetes into four orders, Agonomycetales,
Hyphomycetales, Stilbellales and Tuberculariales. The orders have been separated on the basis of
presence of absence of conidia and the degree of aggregation of the conidiophores into
specialized structures such as synnemata or sporodochia.
Classification of Hyphomycetes
Conidia absent except for chlamydospores - Agonomycetales or Mycelial sterilia Conidia present
Conidiophores are not organized as synnemata or sporodochia- Hyphomycetales (Moniliales)
Conidiophores are organized as synnemata or sporodochia.
a. Synnemata formed - Stilbellales
b. Sporodochia formed – Tuberculariales
Order: Agonomycetales or Mycelia sterilia
1. Leaf parasites and forming sclerotia that are immersed in leaf tissue - Dactuliphora
2. Sclerotia not immersed in leaf tissue, if leaf parasites:
(a) Sclerotia formed of loosely woven hyphae; irregular in shape - Rhizoctonia
(b) Sclerotia formed of compact hyphae; large - Sclerotium
(c) Compact cells arranged in cluster like forms; true sclerotia absent – Populaspora
The fungi included in this order are referred as Mycelia sterilia as they lack even the imperfect
state (spores) and reproduce only by fragmentation of mycelium. They do form sclerotia or
chlamydospores, which help in perpetuation and dissemination of the pathogen. Agonomycetales
may be states of Basidiomycetes, Ascomycetes or other Deuteromycetes. It has a single family
Agonomycetaceae containing 42 genera. Aegerita, Arbuscula, Dactuliophora, Papulaspora,
Rhizoctonia and Sclerotium are important genera.
Rhizoctonia
The form-genus Rhizoctonia has about 15 species. They are facultative necrotrophs i.e.
they are capable of prolonged existence as saprophyte in the soil. Under suitable conditions they
cause diseases like damping off and root rots. Important characters of this are the formation of
sclerotia of irregular size and shape but of uniform texture brown or black, more or less loosely
packed. The cells of the hyphae are barrel shaped, anastomosing frequently, branching more or
less at right angles, and pale brown to brown in colour. Perfect states of Rhizoctonia are
Ceratobasidium and Thanatephorus (of Basidiomycotina) and Macrophomina (Pycnidial state).
R. bataticola - Dry root rot of pulses, cotton etc. (Pycnidial state: Macrophomina phaseolina)
R. solani - Root rot of cotton. (Perfect state: Thanatephorus cucumeris)
Sclerotium
It is a large genus with about 100 species. They cause important plant diseases. It is
characterized by hard, brown to black, fairly large sclerotia with pseudoparenchymatous rind.
These are produced on sterile, cotton, white mycelium provided with clamp connections. The
perfect states of Sclerotium are Pellicularia (Hymenomycetes of Basidiomycotina) and
Sclerotinia (of Ascomycotina)
Sclerotium cepivorum -White rot of onion
S. oryzae-Stem rot of rice (Perfect state: Magnaporthe salvinii Conidial state: Nakataea
sigmoidea)
S. rolfsii - Root rot of soybean, black pepper groundnut, cotton, cabbage tomato etc. (Perfect
State: Corticium rolfsii(syn.Pellicularia rolfsii)
Order: Hyphomycetales (Moniliales)
This order has important saprobes used in decomposition of organic matters. It has
pathogens on plant, animal and human beings. In this order the conidiogenous cells are produced
on the conidiophores, which may be either micronematous. i.e morphologically similar to
vegetative hyphae or macronematous. i.e. which are morphologically very different from purely
vegetative hyphae but are always mononematous i.e. they are sporodochia. The order is divided
into two families, Moniliaceae and Dematiaceae.
The order is divided into 2 families:
1 Conidia and conidiophores hyaline or brightly coloured -Moniliaceae
2 Conidia or conidiophores or both with distinct dark pigment –Dematiaceae
Form-family 1: Moniliaceae
Most of the members in this family are saprobes in soil, dead organic matter and
foodstuffs. Some are plant, human and animal pathogens whereas some others are predaceous
fungi on nematodes. The members of this form-family are characterized by the production of
free conidiophores or conidiogenous cells from the somatic hyphae and all the structures i.e.
hyphae, conidiophores and conidia are hyaline. A key to important plant pathogenic genera is
given here:
I. Conidia unicellular, globose to cylindrical, conidiophore distinct:
(a) Conidia almost similar to apical cells of conidiophores Monilia
(b) Conidia not as above; borne in chains; dry:
(i) Phialides in heads on simple conidiophores -Aspergillus
(ii) Phialides bush like; upright -Penicillium
(c) Conidia not borne in chains; conidiophores verticillate, phialospores in mucilaginous mass -
Verticillium
(d) Conidiophore branching irregularly or dichotomously; conidia dry, borne on inflated apical
cells -Botrytis
II. Conidia bicelled, ovoid to cylindrical:
(a) Conidiophores reduced to stromal cells - Rhyncosporium
(b) Conidiophoredistinct, rarely branched, in clusters; conidia cylindrical, in short chains -
Ramularia
III. Conidia 3 or more celled:
(a) Conidia usually of 2 types, multiseptate macroconidia canoe shaped; unicellular microconidia
often present -Fusarium
(b) Conidiophores rarely branched, conidia simple, attenuated at the apex - Cercosporella
(c) Conidiophores usually simple; conidia on denticles –Pyricularia Aspergillus and Penicillium
belong here, Imperfect stages of the Erysiphales (powdery mildews) viz. Acrosporium (formerly
known as oidium) is also placed here.
Imperfect stage of Ascomycetes -Neurospora and Monilinia and Botryotinia also belong
here and placed in the form genera Monilia and Botrytis respectively. The genera Verticillium
and Trichoderma are known to have Trichoderma as imperfect states. Pathogens of man and
animals viz., Microsporium (Imperfect state: Arthroderma), Trichophyton (Imperfect state:
Nannizzia), Histoplasma (Imperfect state: Ajellomyces), Geotrichum, Sporothrix, Coccidioides,
Paracoccidioides and Epidermophyton belong to his family. Arthroderma (Microsporium),
Phymatotrichum, Predaceous fungi like Dactylaria, Arthrobotrys and Monacrosporium are also
included in the family Moniliaceae.
Verticillium
The genus is characterized by the production of balls of amerospores on verticillately
arranged phialides. The conidiophores are erect, hyaline or slightly pigmented and simple or
branched. Chlamydospores, aleuriospores and microsclerotia are also produced by some species.
V. albo-atrum -Wilt of cotton, tobacco, cowpea, tomato, brinjal, potato, lucerne. V. dahliae -Wilt
of tobacco and brinjal Form-family 2: Dematiaceae.
This family is characterized by the production of dark-conidia and/or conidiophores.
Conidiophores are simple and not produced in any type of fruiting body. Many members are
saprobic found in soil and on dead organic matters. Others are pathogens of plants. Alternaria ,
Bipolaris, Cladosporium, Cercospora, Curvularia, Drechslera, Helminthosporium and
Pyricularia are important genera in this family.
A key to important genera is given below:
I. Conidia single celled, globose to cylindrical in shape.
(a) Conidia hyaline to sub-hyaline, phialosporous, endogenous; phialides often single;
aleuriospores dark, borne singly or in short chains - Thielaviopsis
(b) Conidia blastospores, dark, borne acropetally in long chains; ovoid to oblong, sometimes >2
celled - Cladosporium
(c) Conidia dark, in short chains:
(i) Mycelium subcuticular, conidia annelospores, acute at apex, sometimes 2-celled - Spilocaea
(ii) Conidia blastospores, dry, borne in apical clusters - Periconia
(d) Conidiophore simple, intertwined; conidia holoblastic, spherical; in ovaries of individual
grains of Gramineae - Ustilaginoidea
II. Conidia usually bicelled, borne singly on conidiophores. Mycelium subepidermal, without
forming stroma, apical cell of conidia narrower than basal cell - Passalora
III. Conidia more than 3 celled, not borne in chains, only transversely septate.
A. Conidiophores in clusters, simple or rarely branched, conidia long cylindrical to filamentous:
(i) Stroma well developed -Cercosporidium
(ii) Stroma not developed -Cercospora
B. Conidiophores packed together, arising from a well-developed stroma. Conidia annellospores,
ellipsoid ovoid -Strigmina
C. Conidiophores single; stroma absent:
1. Conidia porosporous.
(i) Conidia borne apically -Corynespora
(ii) Conidia borne laterally and apically -Helminthosporium
2. Conidia sympodulospores.
(i) Conidia typically bent, middle cell enlarged -Curvularia
(ii) Conidia straight, sometimes curved slightly
(a) Conidial germination by any of its cells -Drechslera
(b) Conidial germination by end cells only -Bipolaris
IV. Conidia several celled, longitudinal as well transverse septa present.
(a) Conidia borne in acropetal chains -Alternaria
(b) Conidia borne singly, apical, sub-globose, obovate or broadly ellipsoid - Stemphylium
Alternaria
It is a polyphagous fungus and occurs most frequently as a saprobe on dead and decaying
organic materials, on or in seeds and is responsible for causing leaf spots of economically
important crop plants. Conidiophores are dark, septate, sometimes inconspicuous, simple or
branched, bearing conidia at the apex. Conidia (Porospores) solitary or more often produced in
acropetal succession to form simple or branched chains, muriform, darkly pigmented, ovate to
obclavate, tapering abruptly or gradually towards the apex, smooth or roughened.
Important plant diseases caused by Alternaria spp. are
Alternaria alternata - Black point disease of wheat grains
A. brassicae - Leaf spot of crucifers
A. brassicola - Leaf and pod spot of Crucifers
A. carthami - Leaf spot of safflower
A. cucumerina - Leaf spot of cucurbit
A. citri - Black rot of oranges, fruit rot of lemons and tangerines, leaf spot of rough lemon and
mandarin.
A. longipes - Brown spot of tobacco
A. macrospora - Leaf spot of cotton
A. padwickii - Stackburn, seedling blight or leaf spot (=Trichoconis padwickii) of rice
A. porri - Purple blotch of onion
A. solani - Early blight of potato and leaf spot of tomato, chillies and tobacco
A. triticina - Leaf blight of wheat
Cercospora: They are weak parasites on dead or drying plant tissues or pathogens of plants or
human beings. This genus is characterized by long, hyaline or pigmented conidia borne in
acropetal succession from a usually simple, sympodially extending, cicatrized (i.e. with
conspicuous scars), pigmented conidiophores which are frequently aggregated in fascicles . The
conidia are filiform and several celled.
Cercospora apii - Leaf spot of celery
C. arachidicola - Early leaf spot of groundnut
C. beticola - Leaf spot of sugar beet
C. coffeicola - Leaf spot of coffee and spinach
C. nicotianae - Frog -eye spot of tobacco
C. kikuchii - Purple stain of soybean
Cercospora musae - Sigatoka leaf spot
C. personata - Late leaf spot of groundnut
Helminthosporium
Colonies effuse, dark and hairy. Mycelium immersed stromata usually present.
Conidiophores often in fascicles, erect, brown to dark brown. Conidia develop laterally, often in
verticils, through pores beneath the septa of the conidiophore while the tip of the conidiophores
continues to grow but growth cases with the formation of terminal conidia. Conidia sub-hyaline
to brown, usually obclavate, pseudoseptate and frequently with a dark brown to black protruding
scar at the base. This genus contains approximately 20 species. Helminthosporium imperfect
state is produced in Pseudocochliobolus belonging to the Dothideales.
List of Helminthosporium transferred to Drechslera
Helminthosporium Drechslera sp. Ascigerous state
sp.
H. carbonum D. zeicola Cochliobolus carbonum
H. gramineum D. graminea (Leaf stripe of Barely) Pyrenophora graminea
H. heveae D. heveae
(Birds eye spot of rubber)
H. maydis D. maydis (Leaf blight of corn) Cochliobolus heterosporus
H. nodulosum D. nodulosus C. nodulosus
H. oryzae D. oryzae (brown leaf spot of rice) C. miyabeanus
H. sacchari D. sacchari
(seedling blight of sugarcane)
H. sativum Bipolaris C. sativum
H. sigmoideum Nakataea sigmoidea Leptosphaeria salvinii

Drechslera
It is characterized by the sympodially extending conidiophore, which produces an
acropetal succession of multiseptate porospores, which are cylindric in shape and germinate from
any or all cells. Conidiophores are indeterminate, extending by sympodial growth. The cells of
conidium are capable of germination. Conidiophores are brown and produce the conidia singly at
the apices. Conidia are cylindrical, multiseptate and dark. Cochliobolus, Pyrenophora, Pleospora
and Trichometasphaeria are imperfect states of Drechslera.
Bipolaris
Bipolaris is characterized by germination of conidia from the end cells only.
Conidiophores brown, producing conidia through an apical pore and forming a new apex by
growth of the sub-terminal region. Conidia fusoid, straight or curved, germinating by one germ
tube from each end cell. Exosporium smooth, rigid and brown. Endosporium hyaline,
amorphous, separating cells of the mature phragmospores. They are pathogenic on members in
grass family. The perfect state is Cochliobolus.
Pyricularia
There are only few species, which are causing important plant diseases. Conidiophores
are more or less erect, simple or rarely branched, septate, hyaline to lightly pigmented, ultimate
cells sympodulae. Conidia borne singly and terminally at the apex of conidiophore with
successive conidia being produced in acropetal succession by sympodial extension of the
sporogenous cell. Abscission of conidia leaves pronounced denticles on the spore-bearing apex.
Conidia ellipsoid or more often pyriform, broader and truncated at the attachment point, tapering
towards the distal end, mostly one septate or two septate, hyaline to lightly pigmented.
Pyricularia oryzae -Blast of rice
P. setariae -Blast of fox-tail millet
P. grisea -Blast of ragi / finger millet
Order: Tuberculariales
The characteristic features of this order is the production of sporodochia (sing.
sporodochium; Gr. spora = seed + dochien = container) in which the spore mass is supported by
a superficial, cushion -like (pulvinate) mass of conidiogenous cells or short conidiophores. The
order contains a single family, Tuberculariaceae that has more than 160 form-genera. Following
genera are important:
I. Conidia unicellular, hyaline to bright coloured.
(a) Sporodochia stromatic, parasitic on grains -Sphacelia
(b) Sporodochia pulvinate, sometimes with prominent, hyaline setae, Conidia in chains, usually
greenish in mass –Myrothecium
II. Conidia multicellular, long slender, setae absent in sporodochia.
(a) Macroconidia canoe shaped -Fusarium
(b)Conidia curved with short side branches –Ramulispora
III. Conidia dictyospores, dark, globose to subglobse.
(a) Sporodochia pulvinate -Epicoccum
(b)Sporodochia convoluted -Cerebella
Fusarium, Tubercularia, Volutella, Epicoccum and Exosporium are important genera.
Fusarium
The macroconidia (phialospores) are produced on conidiophores, which may be solitary
and simple or aggregated (sporodochia) and with complex branching and the ultimate branched
terminating in sporogenous cells. The sporogenous cells. The sporogenous cells are phialides,
sometimes with an apical collarette. In addition to macroconidia in some fusaria another type of
conidia, i.e. microconidia are produced.
Microconidia are non-septate or one-septate, ovoid to short cylindric, gathering in short
chains or more commonly in spore balls. Thick walled chlamydospores are also produced either
terminally or intercalarily on the somatic hyphae. The mycelium, microconidia, macroconidia
and sporodochia are bright in colour. Perfect state of Fusarium is found in Ascomycetes in the
family Hypocreaceae in which the genera, Nectria, Calonectria, Gibberella and Micronectriella
are found. The genus Fusarium contains about 50 species, which are widely distributed in soil
and organic substrates. Some of the species, which are serious plant pathogens are listed below.
F. avenaceum( syn.F. roseum) -Damping off of seedlings, seedling blight, foot and root rot, ear
blight of wheat, barley, oats, corn etc.
F. coeruleum -Dry rot of potato
F. moniliforme -Foot rot of rice
F. oxysporum f.sp. batatae -Wilt of sweet potato
F. oxysporum f.sp. betae -Wilt of beetroot
F. oxysporum f.sp. carthami -Wilt of safflower
F. oxysporum f.sp. cepae -Wilt of onion
F. oxysporum f.sp. ciceris -Wilt of chickpea
F. oxysporum f.sp. conglutinans -Cabbage yellows
F. oxysporum f.sp. coriandri -Wilt of coriander
F. oxysporum f.sp. cubense -Panama disease of banana
F. oxysporum f.sp. cucumerinum-Wilt / foot rot of cucumber
F. oxysporum f.sp. cumini -Wilt of cumin
F. oxysporum f.sp. fabae -Wilt of broad bean
F. oxysporum f.sp. glycines -Wilt of soybean
F. oxysporum f.sp. lagenariae-Wilt of bottlegourd
F. oxysporum f.sp. lathyri -Wilt of Lathyrus sativus
F. oxysporum f.sp. lentis -Wilt of lentil
F. oxysporum f.sp. lini -Wilt of linseed
F. o. f.sp. lycopersici -Wilt of tomato
F. o. f. sp. Melongenae -Wilt of brinjal
F. o. f.sp. phaseoli-Dry rot or wilt or Phaseolus vulgaris
F. o. f.sp. pisi-Wilt of pea
F. o. f. sp. psidii - Wilt of guava
F. o. f.sp. sesame - Wilt of sesame
F. o. f.sp. sesbaniae - Wilt of Sesbania aegyptiaca
F. trachephilum - Wilt of cowpea
F. o. f.sp. vasinfectum - Wilt of cotton, banana, citrus, tomato and cucurbits, Damping off of
tomato.
F. semitectum - Storage rot of groundnut
F. solani - Root rot and wilt of legumes, citrus and coffee
F. solani f.sp. aurantifolia - Citrus aurantifolia
F. solani f.sp. batatae - Wilt of sweet potato
F. solani f.sp. coeruleum - Wilt of clusterbeans.
F. solani f.sp. cucurbitae - Wilt of Cucurbita spp
F. solani f.sp. enmartii - Wilt of potato
F. solani f.sp. fabae - Wilt of Vicia faba
F. solani f.sp. phaseoli - Wilt of Phaseolus spp.
F. solani f.sp. piperis - Wilt of black pepper
F. solani f.sp. pisi - Wilt of peas
F. udum - Wilt of pigeonpea
F. udum f.sp. crotalariae - Wilt of sunnhemp
Symptoms
Enlargement of roots, club-shaped roots due to hyperplasia and hypertrophy, gradual and
inconspicuous stunting, yellowing and wilting of plant.
Symptoms of leaf spots, leaf blights, root rots and wilts and disease cycles of Alternaria,
Helminthosporium, Colletotrichum, Pyricularia, Macrophomina and Fusarium

Leaf Spot
In leaf spot a well marked necrotic area of grey, brown, purple or black tissues in green
leaves.
i. Blast of rice - Pyricularia oryzae
Systematic position
Sub-kingdom : Mycota
Division : Eumycota
Sub-division : Deuteromycotina
Class : Hyphomycetes
Order : Moniliales
Family : Moniliaceae
Genus : Pyricularia
Species : P. oryzae
Symptoms: Spindle shaped spots on the leaves (leaf-blast); spots are with dark brown margin
and grey centre; spots on the node and neck are black; breaking of neck of earhead (neck blast)
and nodal regions in stem (nodal blast). Grain infection shows brown spots on the seed coat.
Pathogen: Mycelium is septate, branched and hyaline to olivaceous, both inter-and intra-
cellular. Conidiophores emerge through stomata or by rupturing the cuticle, single or grouped (2-
3), 2 to 4 septate, geniculate and olivaceous. Conidia borne sympodially, hyaline to pale olive,
pyriform, three celled with a small basal appendage called hilum.
Disease cycle: The conidia are spread through wind and cause infection. The grasses like
Panicum repens, Digitaria marginata, Echinochloa crusgalil, etc. act as collateral hosts
(alternative hosts) and help in perpetuation of the disease and act as primary source of inoculum.
The conidia from the grasses on the bunds help on initiation of the disease in the nursery or main
field.
ii. Brown spot of rice- Helminthosporium oryzae (syn. Bipolaris oryzae, Drechslera
oryzae; Perfect stage: Cochliobolus miyabeanus)
Systematic position
Sub-kingdom : Mycota
Division : Eumycota
Sub-division : Deuteromycotina
Class : Hyphomycetes
Order : Moniliales
Family : Dematiaceae
Genus : Helminthosporium
Species : H. oryzae
Symptoms: Oval shaped, dark brown to black spots on the leaves; black spots on the grains.
Pathogen: Mycelium is brown, septate, branched, inter are and intracellular.
Conidiophores are long, septate, darker and geniculate. Conidia are borne singly, 2 to12 are
celled, brown, slightly curved with a bulge in the middle and tapering towards the ends.
Perithecia are globose, dark yellowish brown with ostiolar beak. Asci are cylindrical, slightly
curved and bear 4-6 ascospores. Ascospores are hyaline, long, cylindrical and 6-15 septate
Disease cycle: The fungus overwinters in infected plant parts. The fungus survives on Cynodon
dactylon, Echinochloa colona, Digitaria sanguinalis (collateral hosts) from which the conidia
33spread to rice crop in the nursery. Ascospores from perithecia found on dead straw in heaps,
which also serve as source of infection. In the field wind-borne conidia cause secondary
infection.
iii. Sigatoka leaf spot of banana- Cercospora musae (Perfect stage: Mycosphaerella musicola)
Systematic position
Sub-kingdom : Mycota
Division : Eumycota
Sub-division : Deuteromycotina
Class : Hyphomycetes
Order : Moniliales
Family : Dematiaceae
Genus : Cercospora
Species : C. musae
Symptoms: Yellowish green streaks are formed on interveinal areas; the streaks enlarge into
cylindrical spots with grey centre, brown margin and each spots surrounded by yellow halo. The
lesions coalesce and leaves dry up.
Pathogen: Mycelium is hyaline, septate and branched. Conidia are elongated, narrow and
multiseptate. Perithecia are dark brown to black and ostiolate. Asci are oblong and clavate.
Ascospores are hyaline, two celled, obtuse to ellipsoid
iv. Early leaf spot of groundnut - Cercospora arachidicola (Perfect stage: Mycosphaerella
arachidis)
Systematic position
Sub-kingdom : Mycota
Division : Eumycota
Sub-division : Deuteromycotina
Class : Hyphomycetes
Order : Moniliales
Family : Dematiaceae
Genus : Cercospora
Species : C. arachidicola
Symptoms: Spots are irregular or circular, 1 to 10 mm in diameter (bigger), brown; chlorotic
halo around the spots present; lower surface of the spot is light brown; premature shedding of
leaves.
Pathogen: Mycelium is septate, branched, inter and intracellular. Conidiophores are multi
septate, yellowish brown and dense. Conidia are hyaline, obclavate, 3 to 12 septate, fascicles
base rounded and tip sub-acute. Perithecia are black, globose, ostiolate. Asci are cylindrical,
stipitate and bitunicate. Ascospores are two celled, (upper cell larger, slightly curved), hyaline
and 8 in an ascus
v. Late leaf spot of groundnut - Phaeoisariopsis personata
(syn. Cercospora personata; Perfect stage: Mycosphaerella berkeleyii)
Systematic position
Sub-kingdom : Mycota
Division : Eumycota
Sub-division : Deuteromycotina
Class : Hyphomycetes
Order : Moniliales
Family : Dematiaceae
Genus : Cercospora
Species : C. personata
Symptoms: Spots are smaller (1-6mm), circular and black in colour yellow halo absent;
premature defoliation.
Pathogen: Conidia are olivaceous, obclavate, usually straight or slightly curved, rounded at the
apex, base shortly tapered with a conspicuous hilum, mostly 3 to 4 septate, shorter than C.
arachidicola. Perithercial characters are similar as in C. arachidicola.
vi. Alternaria leaf spot of cotton - Alternaria macrospora
Systematic position
Sub-kingdom : Mycota
Division : Eumycota
Sub-division : Deuteromycotina
Class : Hyphomycetes
Order : Moniliales
Family : Dematiaceae
Genus : Alternaria
Species : A. macrospora
Symptoms: Circular to irregular brown leaf spots with concentric rings; spots coalesce resulting
in blight symptom.
Pathogen: Mycelium is dark, septate, branched. Conidiophore is single or in groups, erect,
simple, septate, brown. Conidia are produced singly or in chains of two, obclavate with a narrow
beak (twice the length of the body), reddish brown; or with both horizontal and vertical septa
(muriform conidia)
Leaf Blights
Necrosis of a larger area of leaf lamina including veins is called leaf blight.
i. Early blight of potato and tomato - Alternaria solani
Systematic position
Sub-kingdom : Mycota
Division : Eumycota
Sub-division : Deuteromycotina
Class : Hyphomycetes
Order : Moniliales
Family : Dematiaceae
Genus : Alternaria
Species : A. solani
Symptoms: Circular to irregular, brown spots with concentric rings; spots coalesce leading to
blighting, drying of leaves and defoliation of leaves.
Pathogen: Mycelium is light brown to dark, septate, branched and inter-and intracellular.
Conidiophores are dark coloured, emerge through stomata. Conidia are beaked, muriform, dark
coloured, borne singly or in chains and are with 5 to 10 transverse and a few longitudinal septa
ii. Late blight of potato and tomato - Phytophthora infestans
Systematic position
Sub-kingdom : Mycota
Division : Eumycota
Sub-division : Mastigomycotina
Class : Oomycetes
Order : Peronosporoales
Family : Pythiaceae
Genus : Phytophthora
Species : P. infestans
Symptoms: Brown to purplish black water-soaked lesions; enlarge rapidly; lower surface shows
whitish mildew growth, severe defoliation; potato tubers show purplish, slightly sunken lesions
leading to dry rot.
Pathogen: Mycelium is endophytic, coenocytic, hyaline, branched, inter-cellular. Haustoria club
shaped. Sporangiophores are hyaline, branched, indeterminate, thick walled, arise through
stomata on leaves or lenticels on tubers. Sporangia are multinucleate, thin-walled, hyaline, oval
or pear shaped with a definite papilla at the apex. Zoospores are reniform, biflagellate (anterior
tinsel and posterior whiplash). Oospores are thick-walled and smooth.
Disease cycle: Primary infection is through use of infected tubers. Mycelium spreads into shoots
produced from infected tubers and reaches the aerial parts of the plant. Sporangiophore emerges
through stomata on stem and leaves and produce sporangia, which are spread by rain to wet
potato leaves or stems and cause disease. Large number of asexual generation in a growing
season kills the foliage rapidly. The zoospores found in the soil germinate, penetrate through
lentils or wounds into the tubers and send intercellular mycelium and haustoria into the cells and
cause infection.
iii. Northern corn leaf blight of sorghum - Exserohilum turcicum. (syn. Helminthosporium
turcicum; Perfect stage: Trichometasphaeria turcica)
Systematic position
Sub-kingdom : Mycota
Division : Eumycota
Sub-division : Deuteromycotina
Class : Hyphomycetes
Order : Moniliales
Family : Dematiaceae
Genus : Exserohilum
Species : E. turcicum
Symptoms: Narrow, elongated spots develop initially, later turns to straw coloured, lesions
with reddish brown margin; matured spots are with several cm long; later coalesce and cause
extensive drying of leaves.
Pathogen: Mycelium is inter or intracellular, multinucleate and septate. Conidiophores emerge
through stomata in clusters, simple, olivaceous, septate and straight or bent. Conidia are long,
spindle shaped, straight or slightly curved and 3-7 septate. Pseudothecia are black and globose.
Asci are clavate and bitunicate. Ascospores are hyaline, fusoid, straight or slightly curved and
four celled.
iv. Grey blight of mango - Pestalotiopsis mangiferae
Systematic position
Sub-kingdom : Mycota
Division : Eumycota
Sub-division : Deuteromycotina
Class : Coelomycetes
Order : Moniliales
Family : Melanconiaceae
Genus : Pestalotiopsis
Species : P. mangiferae
Symptoms: Minute brown spots develop at the margin and tip of the leaf initially. They
gradually increase in size and become dark brown. Black dots appear at the centre of the spots
represent the acervuli.
Pathogen: Mycelium is branched, septate and brown. Acervuli are black. Conidiophores are
short, simple or branched, septate, hyaline and smooth. Conidia are five celled, oblong to
clavate, upper two cells are slightly darker than the lowest olivaceous cells. Upper cell has three
setulae.
Grey leaf blight of coconut - Pestalotiopsis palmarum
Symptoms: Minute yellow spots surrounded by greyish margin appear on leaf lets, which
enlarge to become elliptical with greyish white centre, dark brown margin and yellow halo.
Large number of globose / ovoid, black acervuli appear on the upper surface of the spots as black
dots.Many spots coalesce into irregular grey necrotic patches. Complete drying and shrivelling of
leaf blade occur giving a blighted / burnt appearance.
Pathogen: Mycelium is septate, branched, light brown, inter and intra cellular. Fungus produces
acervuli as it’s asexual fruiting body during sporulation. Acervuli are black, cushion shaped, sub
epidermal and break open to expose conidia and black sterile structures called setae.
Conidiophores are hyaline, short, simple and bear a conidium at the tip. Conidia are five celled,
middle three cells are coloured, basal and tip cells are hyaline. Tip cells have 3 -5 slender
elongated appendages.
Root Rot
Root rot is disintegration or decay of part or all of the root system of a plant. Pathogen
belonging to Aphanomyces, Pythium, Phytophthora, Rhizoctonia, Sclerotium, Phymatotrichum,
Thielaviapsis, Macrophomina, Helicorbasidium, Ophiobolus, Armillaria, etc. are reported to
cause root rot disease in various crop plants.
i. Root rot of pulses/ oilseeds/ cotton. - Macrophomina phaseolina (Pycnidial stage) Rhizoctonia
bataticola (Sclerotial stage)
Systematic position: Macrophomina phaseoloina
Sub kingdom : Mycota
Division : Eumycota
Sub-division : Deuteromycotina
Class : Coelomycetes
Order : Sphaeropsidales
Family : Sphaeropsidaceae
Genus : Macrophomina
Species : M .phaseolina
Systematic position: Rhizoctonia bataticola
Sub kingdom : Mycota
Division : Eumycota
Subdivision : Deuteromycotina
Class : Aganomycetes
Order :Aganomycetales
Family : Aganomycetaceae
Genus : Rhizoctonia
Species : R.bataticola
Symptoms: Sudden and complete wilting of plants in patches; rotting of entire root system
except taproot and few laterals; shredding of barks of roots; presence of minute black bodies on
the surface of the infected bark of roots/stem which represents the sclerotia of the pathogen; stem
near the soil level shows large number of black pycnidial bodies.
Pathogen: Mycelium is septate, branched, stout and brown; lateral branches from main hypha
are constricted at the point of origin. Selerotia are dark brown or black, round, mustard-like.
Pycnidia are small, dark brown, globose, ostiolate, found on stem, erumpent, solitary or
gregarious. Pycnidiospore are hyaline, obovoid, single celled and borne on hyaline, cylindrical
conidiophores (phialides).
Disease cycle: It survives as sclerotia in the infected debris in soil. Primary spread is through
seed-borne and soil-borne sclerotia. Secondary spread is through wind-borne pycnidiospores.
Surviving sclerotia or pycnidia in the soil or in the seed initiate the infection. They germinate and
penetrate the host directly. Fungus produces cellulolytic, pectinolytic and other enzymes, which
kill and disintegrates the tissues in advance of penetration, resulting in rotting of tissues. It is a
facultative saprophyte and it lives saprophytically in the dead tissue and produce greyish white,
inter and intracellular, septate, thick walled mycelium, which branches at right angles near the
septum. During asexual reproduction, it produces dark brown, globose pycnidia with an ostiole
on the surface of the stem above ground level. Inner wall of the pycnidium is lined with
pycnidiophore and pycnidiospore.
Pycnidiophores are hyaline, short and rod shaped. Pycnidospores are hyaline, single
celled, oval shaped and thin walled. Pycnidia will act either as secondary inoculum for the spread
with in the field or as primary inoculum for the initiation of the disease after period of survival in
the seed or plant debris. At the end of the growing season the fungus produces spherical, black
and smooth walled sclerotia (resting bodies) on the inner walls of the root bark. At this stage the
roots exhibit bark shredding with numerous sclerotia. Sclerotia survive and initiate new
infection.
Stem Rot
In stem rot the stem tissues show disintegration and decay
i. Stem rot of rice - Sclerotium oryzae (perfect stage: Leptosphaeria salvinii)
Systematic position
Sub-kingdom : Mycota
Division : Eumycota
Sub-division : Deuteromycotina
Class : Hyphomycetes
Order : Aganomycetales
Family :Aganomycetaceae
Genus : Sclerotium
Species : S. oryza
Symptoms: Initially small, blackish, irregular lesions are observed on the outer leaf sheath near
water line at later growth stages of plant. The lesions enlarge as the disease advance, the fungus
penetrates the inner leaf sheath and finally the leaf sheath rots and sclerotia are formed. Later, the
infection spreads to stem. One or two internodes of the stem rot and collapse. These infected
stems lodge. Small black sclerotia are seen near on the inner side of the culm amidst greyish weft
of mycelium.
Pathogen: Mycelium is hyaline, septate and branched. Sclerotia are spherical, smooth and black.
Perithecia are globose and black. Asci are clavate and short stalked. Ascospores are eight in each
ascus, fusiform, three septate, middle cells larger and dark and the end cells lighter.
Disease cycle: The fungus is found to survive under unfavorable conditions in the selerotial
stage. The sc1etoria germinates from rice stubbles under favorable conditions and is carried from
field to field by irrigation water. The sc1etoria can cause primary infection .
Foot-Rot
In foot rot the basal portion of the stem is infected and shows rotting.
Foot-rot of rice - Fusarium moniliforme (Perfect stage: Gibberella fujikuroi)
Systematic position
Sub-kingdom : Mycota
Division : Eumycota
Sub-division : Hyphomycetes
Class : Deuteromycotina
Order : Moniliales
Family : Tuberculariaceae
Genus : Fusarium
Species : F. moniliforme
Symptoms: The most conspicuous and common symptom is the bakanae, an abnormal
elongation of the plants in the nursery of the field. The infected plants are taller than normal
plants, lean lanky and yellowish green. A whitish or pink fungus growth may appear on the
lower portion of the drying plants. The basal portion of the infected plant becomes black and
rotten. The infected seedlings reveal formation of aerial adventitious roots from the nodes above
the ground level. Root system becomes fibrous and bushy. Infected seedlings die in large
numbers in patches. In the transplanted crop the plants are killed before earhead formation or
even if the inflorescence is formed it will be sterile. If the culm is split open brown
discolouration of spongy tissues in nodular region is seen.
Pathogen: Mycelium is hyaline, septate and well branched. Microconidia are hyaline, single
celled or two celled, oval and borne in chains. Microconidia are hyaline, 3-5 septate, sickle -
shaped formed on sporodochia. Chlamydospores are absent Perithecia are dark blue, spherical or
ovate. Asci are cylindrical, piston shaped and 4-6 spored. Ascospores are two celled.
Disease cycle: The diseases in externally seed-borne and the seeds contaminate with the spores
form the primary source of infection. It is also soil-borne (survives for four months as hyphae are
macro conidia). The fungus mycelium and micro conidia infect seedlings at an early stage of
their development. It becomes systemic in the plants infection also takes place through conidia
and mycelium left in the water used for soaking seeds. The funguses in the seedling grow
upward and produce mycelium and conidia and infected plant parts. The fungus infects hosts like
sorghum, maize, sugarcane, Panicum miliaceum and Andropogon sorghum.