Determination of the frequency and virulence of someBotrytis cinereaisolates and a newBotrytis prunorumcryptic species causing grey mould disease on greenhouse tomatoes

Abstract

AbstractTomato is among the priority crops of greenhouse cultivation in Turkey and in the world. One of the most important fungal diseases of tomatoes is grey mould.Botrytis cinerea,B. cinereagroup S andBotrytis pseudocinereahave been reported previously as causes of grey mould disease on tomatoes. The objectives of this study were to characterize the common grey mould population, their virulence levels, and identify the possible crypticBotrytisspecies occurring on greenhouse tomatoes in Turkey.Botrytisspecies were identified using theRPB2,G3PDH,HSP60andNEP2sequences. The predominant grey mould pathogen wasB. cinerea.B. cinereagroup S andB. pseudocinereawere not isolated. The MH69 isolate was identified asBotrytis prunorum. This is the first time that this cryptic species has been reported causing disease on tomatoes. Differences in the virulence levels ofB. cinereaisolates were observed. The virulence of theB. prunorumisolate was found to be lower than most of theB. cinereaisolates.