Alternaria alternata
Alternaria alternata spores pictured at 40X magnification
| Species: | Alternaria alternata (Fr. : Fr.) Keissler |
| Original References: |
Nees von Esenbeck, C. G. 1816-1817. Das System der Pilze und Schwämme. Stahelschen Buchhandlung, Würzburg Xxxvii +329pp., Pl. I-XXVII (1816); Pl. XXVIII-XLIV (1817). Fries, E. 1832. Systema Mycologicum. Vol. 3, sect. Post., pp. 500. E.
Moritz, Keissler, K. von. 1912. Zur Kenntnis der Pilzflora Krains. Beih. Bot. Centralbl. 29: 434. |
| Additional References: | Simmons, E. G. 1995. Alternaria themes and variations (112-144). Mycotaxon 55:69-74. |
| Conidia: | (on PCA) mature conidia typically 10-30 x 5-12 µm, short conical beak or beakless, narrowly ellipsoid to ovoid and elongated on branching chains, juveniles narrowly elliptical, punctate roughned ornamentation especially when old, dull olive in color, 3-7 transepta, 1-5 longisepta, individual chains of 5-15 conidia, complex of branching chains may contain up to 50-60 conidia. |
| Conidiophore: | (on PCA) individual conidiophores arise directly from substrate forming bushy heads consisting of 4-8 large catenate conidia chains,secondary conidiophores are generally short and 1-celled. |
| Disease: | Leaf spot, fruit rot, blossom rot, blight. Opportunistic pathogen on numerous hosts resulting in leaf spot, fruit rot, blight, bulb rot,blossom rot, etc. |
| Host: | Over 380 hosts have been recorded in the USDA Systematic Botany and Mycology Fungus-Host Distribution Database. |
| Additional Sources: | http://nt.ars-grin.gov/ |
| Alternaria species | Alternaria Online | Plant pathology | Agricultural and Life Sciences |