First report of canker disease in apple caused by Lasiodiplodia theobromae in China

Shuaishuai Sha, Zhe Wang, Haiting Hao, Lan Wang^*, Hongzu Feng^*

College of Plant Science, Tarim University, Alar, Xinjiang, China

Apple (Malus Domestica) is an economically important tree that is widely planted in the southern part of Xinjiang, China. This study described a disease in apple characterized by typical canker symptoms, occurring between March and May 2021in Aksu, Kashgar, and Hotan in the Xinjiang province. Three representative isolates (WL 3-1, WL 3-2, and WL 3-3) from the diseased tissues were identified as Lasiodiplodia theobromae using morphological and molecular characterization. Phylogenetic analyses of the combined ribosomal internal transcribed spacer region, β-tubulin, and translation elongation factor 1-a placed the three isolates in a well-supported cluster with L. theobromae. Pathogenicity tests demonstrated that L. theobromae was virulent to apple. To our knowledge, this is the first detailed report of L. theobromae infecting Apple in China.