Occurrence of Pink Mold Rot of Strawberry Caused by Trichothecium roseum in Korea

Abstract

Strawberries rotted by pink mold rot fungus (Trichothecium roseum) were found sporadically in farm greenhouses in Sugokmyon, Jinju, Korea, from March to April in 2009 and 2010. The diseased fruits were first covered with pink-colored mold, consisting of conidia and conidiophores of the pathogen, and then became water-soaked and dark brown in color, before eventually rotting (Fig. After a pure representative specimen was isolated, we examined the mycological characteristics of the specimens in detail, using light and scanning electron microscopes. Fungal colonies were white to pinkish, and numerous conidia formed on potato dextrose agar (PDA; Fig. Conidia were ellipsoidal to pyriform, colorless, 2-celled, characteristically held together in zigzag chains, aleurioconidia 12-218-10 m in size (Fig. Conidiophores were long, slender, simple, septate, bearing meristem arthrospore conidia apically, singly when young, and successively. Conidiophores were apex, 3-5 m in size. The optimum temperature for mycelial growth was 25 o C. The measurements and taxonomic characteristics coincided with those of T. roseum (Pers.) Link ex Gray described by The pure isolate of the pathogen was incubated at 25 o C, and the conidia were artificially inoculated onto strawberries. The same disease symptoms were reproduced on the fruits, and the same fungus was re-isolated from the symptoms.