New Records of Southern Blight on Three Medical Plants in Japan: Fish Mint, Geranium Herb and American Mandrake

Abstract

Southern blight of fish mint Houttuynia cordata, geranium herb Geranium thunbergii and American mandrake Podophyllum peltatum occurred in Tokyo Metropolis and Saitama Prefecture in 2012. The causal fungus isolated from the diseased plants was identified as Sclerotium rolfsii Sacc. based on morphological characteristics as well as molecular analyses of the rDNA-ITS region. Inoculation tests confirmed that the fungus was a causal agent of these diseases. This is the first report of the disease in Japan.