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[Objectives] The study was to confirm the etiological agent of leaf spot on banana in Yunnan Province of China. [Methods] Fungus isolates were isolated from the diseased tissues, and cultured to observe the morphological characteristics of colony and spore. Furthermore, phylogenetic analyses and pathogenicity test were also conducted to confirm the pathogen. [Results] The fungus isolated from the diseased tissues was identified as Neopestalotiopsis clavispora. [Conclusions] N. clavispora is a new pathogen causing leaf spot of banana. This research provides the first description of N. clavispora as a causal agent on banana in China, and adds new insights related to the host range of N. clavispora. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Objective] This study aimed to develop a PCR assay for detecting Xanthomonas campestris pv. mangiferaeindicae (Xcm) in culture and in planta. [Method] Primers (XcmHF and XcmHR) were designed based on the partial sequence of hrpB gene from xanthomonads to develop a PCR assay for Xcm. Furthermore, specificity and sensitivity of the primer pairs were analyzed in detection of genomic DNA and cell from Xcm. [Result] Amplication was positive only with genomic DNA from positive control ATCC11637 and 12 Xcm strains; no PCR products were amplified with genomic DNA from ten other xanthomonads and seven other bacterial species. The sensitivity of detection was 2.4 pg/μl genomic DNA, and 1.8 × 104 CFU/ml cells. The primers also worked well for pathogen detection in direct PCR assays of Xcm colonies grown on liquid medium and in PCR assays of total DNA from leaf, branch and fruit lesions. [Conclusion] A PCR assay was successfully established for rapid detection of Xcm in culture and in planta. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]