First report of Alternaria alternata (Fr.) Keissler causing inflorescence blight in Jatropha curcas in Sinaloa, Mexico

Abstract

A new fungal disease of inflorescences of Mexican nut (Jatropha curcas L.) was found on plants in two experimental fields located in Sinaloa, Mexico during summer 2011. The fungus caused inflorescence blight on flowers with typical symptoms of dark brown necrotic lesions; both plantations of J. curcas had disease incidence of 50–60%. Based on cultural and morphological characteristics and ribosomal DNA spacer sequences, the pathogen was identified as Alternaria alternata (Fr.) Keissler. To our knowledge, this is the first report of Alternaria inflorescence blight disease in J. curcas in Mexico.