Abstract:
The Sigatoka leaf spot complex on Musa spp. includes three major pathogens: Pseudocercospora, namely
P. musae (Sigatoka leaf spot or yellow Sigatoka), P. eumusae (eumusae leaf spot disease), and P. fijiensis (black leaf
streak disease or black Sigatoka). However, more than 30 species of Mycosphaerellaceae have been associated with
Sigatoka leaf spots of banana, and previous reports of P. musae and P. eumusae need to be re-evaluated in light of
recently described species. The aim of the present study was thus to investigate a global set of 228 isolates of P. musae,
P. eumusae and close relatives on banana using multigene DNA sequence data [internal transcribed spacer regions
with intervening 5.8S nrRNA gene (ITS), RNA polymerase II second largest subunit gene (rpb2), translation elongation
factor 1-alpha gene (tef1), beta-tubulin gene (tub2), and the actin gene (act)] to confirm if these isolates represent P.
musae, or a closely allied species. Based on these data one new species is described, namely P. pseudomusae, which
is associated with leaf spot symptoms resembling those of P. musae on Musa in Indonesia. Furthermore, P. eumusae,
P. musae and P. fijiensis are shown to be well defined taxa, with some isolates also representing P. longispora. Other
genera encountered in the dataset are species of Zasmidium (Taiwan leaf speckle), Metulocladosporiella (Cladosporium
leaf speckle) and Scolecobasidium leaf speckle.
