First Record on Leaf Blight Disease of Bouvardia Caused by Apherenchoides fragariae (Ritzema Bos, 1890) Christie, 1932 (Nematoda: Aphelenchida)

Abstract

Leaf blight symptoms of Bouvardia×hibrida have broken out in two areas in Oshima Island, Tokyo Metropolis in 1998. The nematodes isolated from the diseased plants were identified as Apherenchoides fragariae by morphological observation and morphometrics. To confirm the virulence of the nematodes, 200 individuals extracted from the field Bouvardia were inoculated on the leaves of healthy Bouvardia sp., Primula sp., Begonia sp., Gerbera sp. and Eustoma sp. in pots with three replications. These tests were successful in reproducing the leaf blight symptom characteristic to the nematode and in establishing nematode colonies on all the plants tested. This is the first record on the leaf blight disease of Bouvardia caused by A. fragariae in Japan.