V. Sergeeva, U. Braun, R. Spooner-Hart and N. G. Nair | View Article
Pseudocercospora cladosporioides (Sacc.) U.Braun (syn. Cercospora cladosporioides, Mycocentrospora cladosporioides) is a common widespread leaf spot disease of olives in most olive growing regions in the world. Cercospora leaf spot of olives has been attributed to P. cladosporioides in Australia (A´ vila et al. 2005). In May 2006, we found P. cladosporioides on berries of olives (Olea europaea) in Australia for the first time. It was isolated from berries of the cultivar FS-17 at harvest at an olive grove in Menangle, New South Wales (3470S; 150440E) (material deposited at the Herbarium of the Martin Luther University, No. 1925 F). The fungus causes small brown sunken spots with greenish boundaries on the surface of the berries (Fig. 1). Infected berries showed signs of rotting. The spots showed the presence of conidiophores and conidia fully agreeing with those on infected leaves where it is commonly found. P. cladosporioides is recognisable by having conidia formed singly, more or less cylindrical, (25–)30–65(–95)3–5 mm, (1–)3–5(–7)-septate, very pale to medium olivaceous-brown, with obtuse apex and obconically truncate or subtruncate base (A´ vila et al. 2005). P. cladosporioides has been found on olive berries in Spain (del Moral de la Vega and Medina Cabezas 1985).