FIRST REPORT OF LEAF SPOT DISEASE OF CALOTROPIS GIGANTEA CAUSED BY PASSALORA CALOTROPIDIS IN LAHORE, PAKISTAN Authors: I. Mukhtar, I. Khokhar, S. Mushtaq Journal: Journal of Animal and Plant Sciences (JAPS) ISSN: 1018-7081 (Print), 2309-8694 (Online) Volume: 23 Issue: 2 Pages: 670-671 Year: 2013 DOI: NA URL: https://doi.org/NA Publisher: Pakistan Agricultural Scientists Forum Abstract:

Aak [Calotropis gigantea (L.) R. Br. ex. Ait.] leaf and stem samples infected by leaf spot were collected during August and September 2011 from Lahore Pakistan . Infected leaf and stem surfaces were covered with circular to irregular blackish spots. Conidiophores 15-50 × 4-6 x µm, arising from substomatal stroma in loose fascicles of 8 -15, pale to light golden yellow, simple, sometimes geniculate near tip, 0-3 transversely septate. Conidia solitary, thin and smooth walled, cylindric to cylindro-obclavate, 0-8 septate, obconic base, subobtuse to bluntly rounded tip, 10-130 × 4-6 µm. Morphological characteristics and pathogenecity test confirmed the identification as Passalora calotropidis . However, this is the first report of P. calotropidis on Calotropis gigantea from Pakistan.

Keywords: leaf spot, Calotropus, Pakistan, Passalora calotropidis