First Report of Southern Blight Caused by Sclerotium rolfsii on Eight Ornamental Plants in Flowerbeds

Abstract

Southern blight of Centaurea montana, Chrysanthemum makinoi, Verbena × hybrida, Rehmannia elata, Thymus serpyllum, Lychnis coronaria, Phlox paniculata and Geranium sanguineum occurred at several flowerbeds in Saitama Pref. in 2013. The causal fungus isolated from each diseased plant was identified as Sclerotium rolfsii Sacc. by morphological observations as well as molecular analyses of the rDNA-ITS region. Inoculation tests showed that the fungus was the causal agent of the disease. This is the first report of this disease on these plants in Japan.