A Comprehensive Review on Mycosphaerella

Abstract

The genus Mycosphaerella is one of the largest genera of ascomycetes, containing approx. 3000 species. Mycosphaerella species cause important diseases like Sigatoka leaf spot of banana,black streak of banana. Diffrent hosts for Mycosphaerella includes banana, groundnut, pine, linseed, eucalyptus. These species are distributed worldwide. Conidia and ascospores play a role in the spread of this disease. Conidia form under conditions of high humidity, especially when there is a film of free water on the leaves. Identification of Mycosphaerella will be carried out based on the morphological characterization of fungi, such as sporodochia,conidia, and conidiophores. Owing to hemibiotropic nature, Mycosphaerella depending on the host, symptoms vary from round to elliptical necrotic spots which coalesce together forming bigger spots, reducing photosynthetic area this reducing yields.  Cultural control can be practiced with planting in soils with good drainage, exposed to the sun and orientated to the wind that leads to drying quickly; 2.5 m spacing; weeding; pruning leaves Chemical control can be recommended with spraying of propiconazole or tebuconazole or hexaconazole or azoxystrobin. Biocontrol agents Bacillus subtilis strain QST713 and Bacillus pumilus QST2808 were found to be effective in controlling banana leaf streak disease. Calcutta 4 was found to possess resistance for black streak disease of banana.