Occurrence of parasitic green algae on forest species in Goiás State, Brazil

Fabíola Teodoro Pereira and Daniel Diego Costa Carvalho*

Laboratory of Plant Pathology, Universidade Estadual de Goiás. Rod. GO 330, km 241, Anel Viário, Setor Universitário, 75780-000, Ipameri, Goiás, Brazil.
*Corresponding author: daniel.carvalho@ueg.br

Green algae can cause diseases in many plants of economic importance, among which leaf spots and spots on the stems are frequently reported (Agrios, 2005). In Brazil, parasitic green algae were reported on several plants such as avocado (Persea americana), annatto (Bixa orellana), cashew (Anacardium occidentale), mango (Mangifera indica) and Citrus spp. (Malagi et al., 2011). According to Lima et al (2004), the knowledge about the causal agent of plant diseases comprises in an important step for correct management of plant diseases. However, morphological characterization of plant parasitic green algae is specific and obtain the organism in culture medium is very difficult (Ponmurugan et al., 2010). In our laboratory, we have worked with plant parasitic green algae, whose hosts and algal specie are confidential because a report will be published in a specialized journal. No mycelial growth was observed when algae were placed on Potato Sucrose Agar (PSA) medium, but microscope slides mountings using distilled water showed the structures of the organism, such as sporangia and zoospores. Measurements of these structures also are confidential.

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