17 Sobiya Shafique Shazia Shafique Ume Attia Mariam Zameer Journal of Animal and Plant Sciences JAPS 20242024/05/31 34 3 652-661 1018-7081 https://doi.org/10.36899/JAPS.2024.3.0751 <p><em>Vigna radiata&nbsp;</em>(mung bean) is a most cultivated legume crop having high nutritive and clinical value. A survey was accompanied to isolate leaf spot pathogen from mung bean plants. Infected leaf samples were collected and a novel pathogen,&nbsp;<em>Alternaria arborescens&nbsp;</em>was isolated and identified on morphological and molecular basis. Molecular identification was done using nucleotide sequence analysis of rDNA internal spacer sequence (ITS), partial glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPDH), and elongation factor (EF) regions. Morphological characters demonstrated grayish-black, woolly, concentric rings on Malt Extract Agar (MEA) plates. The conidiophores were well defined; septate with terminal and sub-terminal branches having tan to brown, short ovoid or ellipsoid, and 7-11 &micro;m sized conidia with transverse septation. In molecular characterization, BLAST analysis of the rDNA-ITS region of the pathogen,&nbsp;<em>A. arborescens&nbsp;</em>exhibited maximum (99%) homology with other&nbsp;<em>A. arborescens&nbsp;</em>GenBank strains. Similarly, 100% homology was found with partial glyceraldehyde 3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPDH) and translation elongation factor. Afterward, Koch&rsquo;s pathogenicity aptitude of the identified pathogen was confirmed by the occurrence of the same disease symptomology and re-isolation of identical organisms from artificially inoculated leaves in the&nbsp;<em>in vitro</em>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<em>in vivo</em>&nbsp;trials. The study signifies the novel documentation of&nbsp;<em>A. arborescens&nbsp;</em>as a leaf spot pathogen of mung bean in Pakistan. The manifestation of this pathogen could result in a serious economic impact on mung bean or might be a possible pathogen of other pulse crops if not managed in time.</p> Alternaria arborescens, Genetic characterization, Leaf spot disease, Morphology, Vigna radiata Pakistan Agricultural Scientists Forum https://thejaps.org.pk/AbstractView.aspx?mid=2023-JAPS-1479