Leptosphaeria musarum

Leptosphaeria musarum is a species of fungi in the family Leptosphaeriaceae. It is a plant pathogen that primarily affects banana plants, causing a disease known as banana leaf spot or banana speckle.

Taxonomy

The species was first described in 1961 by mycologists John S. Karling and Robert A. Shoemaker. The genus name Leptosphaeria comes from the Greek words leptos, meaning "thin", and sphaeria, meaning "sphere". This refers to the thin-walled spherical ascospores that are characteristic of this genus. The species name musarum is derived from Musa, the genus name for bananas, indicating the primary host of this fungus.

Description

Leptosphaeria musarum is a filamentous fungus that produces dark, spherical ascocarps with a single layer of asci. Each ascus contains eight ascospores, which are hyaline and elliptical in shape. The fungus also produces conidia, which are borne on conidiophores and are also hyaline and elliptical.

Pathogenicity

Leptosphaeria musarum is a pathogen of banana plants, causing a disease known as banana leaf spot or banana speckle. The fungus infects the leaves of the plant, causing small, dark spots to appear. These spots can coalesce, leading to large areas of necrosis and potentially significant yield loss. The disease is most severe in humid, tropical climates where bananas are commonly grown.

Management

Management of Leptosphaeria musarum and the disease it causes involves a combination of cultural practices and chemical control. Cultural practices include the removal and destruction of infected plant material to reduce the amount of inoculum in the environment. Chemical control typically involves the application of fungicides to protect healthy plants and prevent the spread of the disease.

See also

• List of banana diseases
• Leptosphaeria maculans
• Leptosphaeria biglobosa