First report of Curvularia spicifera causing brown rot of citrus in Southern Italy

In 2014, rot symptoms were observed on mandarin fruits (Citrus reticulata) in a grove of Metaponto (southern Italy). Five to 7 mm lesions, colonized by a brown mycelium characterized diseased tissues. Fruit was collected, and surface-sterilized in 2% sodium hypochlorite. Tissue portions, removed in between symptomatic and healthy areas, were placed on potato dextrose agar (PDA) selective for yeasts and fungi and incubated at 24°C. The obtained fungal isolate was deposited in the collection of DISSPA, University of Bari, Italy, in its monoconidial form. On PDA, colonies were fast growing, initially light brown, turning dark brown after 7 days, raised and lobate-undulate. The aerial mycelium was cottony. Conidia were 18.5 ± 3 μm long × 7 ± 3.4 μm wide, ellipsoidal or oblong, straight, with rounded ends, light brown, 3-transverse septated, with an evident hilum and walls fairly thick, thinner towards the ends. Conidiophore light to medium brown, of variable length, scattered or clustered, often branching were observed. Based on these morphological characters, the fungus was identified as Curvularia spicifera (Bainier) Boedijn.