Alternaria sp. AS A CAUSAL AGENT OF LEAF SPOT AND PLANT WILT OF GERANIUM IN THE TERRITORY OF THE CITY OF KRUŠEVAC

8th International Scientific Conference Modern Trends in Agricultural Production, Rural Development and Environmental Protection (2026) [pp. 101-108]  

 

AUTHOR(S) / AUTOR(I): Tanja Vasić, Sanja Živković ,  Violeta Vidojević, Jordan Marković

 

Download Full Pdf   

DOI: https://doi.org/10.46793/8thMTAgricult.101V

ABSTRACT / SAŽETAK:

Geranium (Pelargonium spp.) is an important ornamental plant susceptible to diseases caused by phytopathogenic fungi, among which Alternaria sp. stands out as the causal agent of brown necrotic leaf spots with concentric zones. Symptomatic samples were collected in March 2025 in the vicinity of Kruševac, and five isolates (MA1–MA5) were selected for further investigation.

Pathogenicity was confirmed using the stem wounding method, and inoculated plants developed typical symptoms, including drying and plant death. Morphological and cultural characteristics were examined on PDA, CMA, and WA media; the average conidial size was 29.45 × 13.16 μm, and the highest mycelial growth was recorded on CMA.

PCR analysis (ITS1/ITS4 and EF1-728F/EF-2) confirmed the presence of fragments of the expected size (~500 bp) in all isolates. The results confirm the presence of A. alternata on geranium in Serbia and emphasize the importance of timely identification for disease management

KEYWORDS / KLJUČNE REČI:

Alternaria sp., geranium

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT / PROJEKAT:

This research was supported by the Ministry of Science, Technological Development and Innovation of the Republic of Serbia. Contract number: 451-03-34/2026-03/200383.

REFERENCES / LITERATURA:

  • Bulajić, A., Krstić, B., Delibašić, G., Vico, I. (2004). Alternaria alternata na semenu povrća i začinskog bilja. Arhiv za poljoprivredne nauke / Journal of Scientific Agricultural Research, 75–87.
  • Chandel, S., Kumar, V. (2018). Diseases of geranium and their management. Department of Plant Pathology, Dr. Y.S. Parmer University of Horticulture and Forestry, Nauni, Solan, 223–241.
  • Day, J.P., Shattock, R.C. (1997). Aggressiveness and other factors relating to displacement of populations of Phytophthora infestans in England and Wales. European Journal of Plant Pathology, 103: 379–391.
  • Dhingra, O.D., Sinclair, J.B. (1995). Basic Plant Pathology Methods. CRC Press, Boca Raton, 1–448.
  • Fekrikohan, S., Khalilabad, A.A., Fotouhifar, Kh.-B., Sharifnabi, B. (2022). First report of Botrytis cinerea and Alternaria alternata on Pelargonium grandiflorum in Iran. Mycologia Iranica, 9(1): 105–115.
  • Freeman, S., Minz, D., Maymon, M., Jurkevitch, E. (2000). Molecular analyses of Colletotrichum species from almond and other fruits. Phytopathology, 90(6): 608–614.
  • Gajić, T. (1997). Alternaria alternata (Fries.) Keissler, prouzrokovač pegavosti lista paradajza. Diplomski rad. Univerzitet u Beogradu, Poljoprivredni fakultet.
  • Glass, N.L., Donaldson, G.C. (1995). Development of primer sets designed for use with the PCR to amplify conserved genes from filamentous ascomycetes. Applied and Environmental Microbiology, 61: 1323–1330.
  • He, M., Hu, Y., Jiang, Y., Zhou, Z. (2024). Leaf spot disease of Michelia alba caused by Alternaria alternata in China. Plant Disease, 108(5).
  • Lis-Balchin, M. (2002). Geranium and Pelargonium: History of Nomenclature, Usage and Cultivation. CRC Press.
  • Mmbaga, M.T., Kim, M.S., Shi, A. (2011). Identification of Alternaria alternata as a causal agent for leaf blight in Syringa species. The Plant Pathology Journal, 27(2): 120–127.
  • Nagrale, D., Gaikwad, A.P., Sharma, L. (2013). Morphological and cultural characterization of Alternaria alternata (Fr.) Keissler blight of gerbera (Gerbera jamesonii H. Bolus ex J.D. Hook). Journal of Applied and Natural Science, 5(1): 171–178.
  • O’Donnell, K., Cigelnik, E. (1997). Two divergent intragenomic rDNA ITS2 types within a monophyletic lineage of the fungus Fusarium are nonorthologous. Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution, 7: 103–116.
  • Ordonez, J., Moreno, A., Martinez-Escribano, J.M., Pastrano, A.M. (2025). First report of Alternaria alternata complex causing leaf spot on almond in Spain. Plant Disease, 109(6).
  • Park, J., Kim, S., Jo, M., An, S. (2024). Isolation and identification of Alternaria alternata from potato plants affected by leaf spot disease in Korea: selection of effective fungicides. Journal of Fungi, 10(1): 53.
  • Peever, T.L., Carpenter-Boggs, L., Timmer, L.W. (2004). Molecular systematics of citrus-associated Alternaria species. Mycologia, 96(1): 119–134. 
  • Poljoberza(2008). Pelargonija–muškatla.  http://www.poljoberza.net/tekstovi/9981/820/pelargonija-muskatla
  • Potatoes South Africa (2016).   Fact    sheet:   Alternaria   diseases.   Preuzeto   sa: https://www.potatoes.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/1.-Alternaria-Diseases-Fact-Sheet-2016.pdf
  • Ristić, D., Aćimović, M., Trkulja, N. (2014). Morfološka i molekularna identifikacija izolata Alternaria alternata – patogen plodova kima u Srbiji. Zaštita bilja, 65(4): 163–169.
  • Rotem, J. (1994). The Genus Alternaria: Biology, Epidemiology, and Pathogenicity. American Phytopathological Society, St. Paul.
  • Saleem, A., El-Shahir, A.A. (2022). Morphological and molecular characterization of some Alternaria species isolated from tomato fruits concerning mycotoxin production and polyketide synthase genes. Plants, 11(9): 1168.
  • Shin, S., Lee, S.M., Min, D., Oh, J. (2025). First report of Alternaria alternata causing leaf blight on garlic in the Republic of Korea. Plant Disease, 109(8).
  • Sonego, O.R., Garrido, L.R., Grigoletti, J.A. (2005). Principais doenças fúngicas da videira no Sul do Brasil. Embrapa Uva e Vinho, Circular Técnica 56.
  • Tewari, J.P. (1983). Cellular alterations in the blackspot of rapeseed caused by Alternaria brassicae. Phytopathology, 73: 831.
  • Tie, Z., Chen, S., Zhang, Z., Zhan, J. (2024). First report of Alternaria alternata causing Alternaria leaf spot of black nightshade in China. Plant Disease, 109(1).
  • Tziros, G.T. (2013). Alternaria alternata causes leaf spot and fruit rot on loquat (Eriobotrya japonica) in Greece. Australasian Plant Disease Notes, 8(1): 123–124.
  • Vasić, T. (2022). Praktikum iz fitopatologije. Poljoprivredni fakultet u Kruševcu, Univerzitet u Nišu.
  • Vasić, T., Jevremović, D., Milenković, S., Vujović, T., Leposavić, A. (2021a). Morphological and pathogenic characteristics of Alternaria alternata isolates from plum (Prunus domestica L.). Acta Horticulturae, 1322: 313–318.
  • Vasić, T., Jevremović, D., Živković, S., Leposavić, A., Paunović, S. (2021b). Morphological and pathogenic characteristic of Alternaria alternata isolates on walnut. Journal of Mountain Agriculture on the Balkans, 24(3): 224–238.
  • Watt, J.M., Breyer-Brandwijk, M.G. (1962). The Medicinal and Poisonous Plants of Southern and Eastern Africa (2nd ed.). E. & S. Livingstone Ltd., Edinburgh.
  • Woudenberg, J.H.C., Groenewald, J.Z., Crous, P.W., Binder, M. (2013). Alternaria redefined. Studies in Mycology, 75(1): 171–212.
  • Xiang, M.L., Wang, Y.B., Wang, D.H., Fu, Y.Q., Zeng, J.K., Ouyang, D.M., Chen, J.Y., Chen, M. (2023). First report of black spot disease caused by Alternaria alternata on persimmon fruit in China. Plant Disease, 107(8): 2525.
  • Yu, Y., Zeng, L., Yan, Z., Huang, L. (2015). First report of black leaf spot caused by Alternaria alternata on ramie in China. Journal of Phytopathology, 164(5).
Post Views: 15