Kiwifruit is a very important commercial crop in China, which is the largest producer of the fruit in the world. The rapid expansion of kiwifruit cultivated area has resulted in the spread of fungal foliar diseases, for example gray/brown/black spots disease, anthracnose and gray mold disease. The above diseases have been reported in different areas of kiwifruit production in China, which are harmful to the leaves, branches and fruits of kiwifruit, seriously restricted the development of Kiwifruit industry. 

Since 2016, Prof. ZHONG Caihong and Dr. LI Li from Wuhan Botanical Garden have been focusing on the annual disease investigation in Taishun County of Zhejiang Province, and Liupanshui city of Guizhou Province.  The analyzed results revealed that the main diseases of both areas werebacterial canker, fungal postharvest rot, gray/brown/black spot disease and anthracnose. The infection degree of various diseases was distinctly in different seasons. The results provide a theoretical basis for the prediction and comprehensive control of the above diseases in Taishun and Liupanshui.  

Meanwhile, the research group firstly reveales Nigrosp oraoryzae could cause the kiwifruit black and brown spot disease, Colletotrichum gloeosporioides is the main pathogen of Kiwifruit anthracnose.  

Results were published in Plant Disease entitled “First reoprt ofNigrospora oryzaeCausing Brown/Black Spot Disease of Kiwifruit in China” and “First reoprt of Anthracnose Caused by Colletotrichum gloeosporioides on kiwifruit (Actinidia chinensis) in China”.  

This study was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China, the Technological Innovation Project of Hubei Province(Key Program), the Technology Service Network Initiative Foundation of The Chinese Academy of Sciences, the Protection and Utilization of Crop Germplasm Resources Foundation of the Ministry of Agriculture and the Natural Science Foundation of Hubei Province. 

Brown/black spots disease symptoms on infected kiwifruit and Colony characteristics, conidia of N.oryzae (Image by ZHONG’s group)