Identification of A. tenuissima, A. solani, A. burnsii and A. gossypina as new members of Alternaria population in Karnataka on sunflower

Abstract

Alternaria species, large-spored A. helianthi and small-spored A. Alternate, are serious threat to sunflower cultivation. Severity of the disease is increasing over the years revealing, infection of many species of Alternaria on sunflower. Insight into their population on naturally infected leaves divulges the species that are aggressive. Morphological and molecular analysis, revealed association of new species on sunflower in southern Karnataka. Sequence analyses of SSU, GAPDH, endoPG and OPA10-2 showed that A. tenuissima, A. solani, A. burnsii and A. gossypina were associated and pathogenic. These were distinguished at microscopic and genetic level disclosing host shift mechanism and occurrence of new species.