First report of leaf blight of Chlorophytum borivilianum caused by Colletotrichum capsici in northern India.

which form longitudinal streaks along the midrib, veins and margin of the infected leaves. Severely affected leaves dry prematurely and plants fail to produce healthy fingers (tubers) used for medicinal purposes. The disease occurred in August and September, after the onset of the rainy season, and caused losses of up to 30% in severely affected fields. Isolations from the young and mature necrotic lesions on potato dextrose agar (PDA) invariably yielded a Colletotrichum species . The fungus initially produced white to grey mycelial growth which became reddish brown due to copious sporulation after 5‐7 days. Acervuli were numerous, globose to saucer shape with large number of dark brown setae 96‐ 124 µ m long. Conidiophores were short, simple and hyaline. Conidia were aseptate, fusiform, sickle-shape and single celled. Those from host material were 10‐15 (13) × 3‐4 (3) µ m and 10‐21 (14) × 3‐5 (4) µ m after 7‐ 10 days’ growth on PDA. Based on these morphological features, the fungus was identified as Colletotrichum capsici . Isolates were morphologically identical to C. capsici isolates infecting Ocimum basilicum (Alam et al ., 1981) . To prove pathogenicity, 45-day-old healthy plants, bearing five to six leaves, were sprayed with C. capsici isolates from Lucknow and Pantnagar regions, in aqueous suspensions of 1·5 × 10