First report of Clonostachys rhizophaga as a pathogen of Dendrocalamus giganteus in Mozambique.

Dendrocalamus giganteus Wall. ex Munro, a wild plant belonging to the family Poaceae, is widespread in Mozambique where it is used as a construction material. At the end of 2007, disease symptoms have been observed on D. giganteus plants growing in the neighborhood of Maputo. Diseased plants showed longitudinal dark streaks on the stem surface to which corresponded internal vascular browning and chlorosis in wide leaves that gradually developed into necrosis. At the final stage of the disease plants died. To isolate the pathogen, stem segments collected during September 2008 were surface sterilized with 1% HgCl2 for 30 s, rinsed with sterile deionized water for 30 s, and incubated on potato dextrose agar (PDA) medium at 22°C in the dark for 2 weeks. Monosporic cultures of the isolated fungus formed dimorphic Verticillium-like (primary) or penicillate (secondary) conidiophores and ovoidal to elongate, minutely curved, hyaline conidia, 5 to 9.5 × 2.5 to 4.5 μm, with laterally displaced hilum. These characte...