Rhizopus Soft Rot on Cherry Tomato Caused by Rhizopus stolonifer in Korea

Abstract

A soft rot of fruits caused by Rhizopus stolonifer occurred on cherry tomato in Jinju City Agricultural Products Wholesale Market, Korea. The disease infection usually started from wounding after cracking of fruits. At first, the lesions started with water soaked and were rapidly softened and diseased lesion gradually expanded. The mycelia grew vigorously on the surface of fruits and formed stolons. Colonies on potato dextrose agar at 25°C were white cottony at first, becoming heavily speckled by the presence of sporangia and the browinish black, and spreading rapidly by means of stolons fired at various points to the substrate by rhizoids. Sporangia were 82.7 × 196.7 μm in size and globose or sub-globose with somewhat flattened base. The color of sporangia was white at first and then turned black with many spores, and never overhanging. Sporangiophores were 2.6–5.8 × 12.3~24.2 μm in width, smooth-walled, non-septate, light brown, simple, long, arising in groups of 3~5 from stolons opposite rhizoids. Sporangiospores were 8.2~18.8 μm long, irregular, round, oval, elongate, angular, and browinish-black streaked. Columella was 64.1 × 136.3 μm. brownish gray, and umberella-shaped when dehisced. The causal organism was identified to be R. stolonifer. This is the first report of Rhizopus soft rot on cherry tomato caused by R. stolonifer in Korea.