First report of Teratosphaeria gauchensis causing stem canker of Eucalyptus in Kenya

Abstract

Teratosphaeria stem canker is an important disease of Eucalyptus species in many parts of the world where these trees are intensively propagated in plantations. Symptoms similar to those of Teratosphaeria stem canker were observed on Eucalyptus grandis and a E. grandis x E. camaldulensis hybrid clone in the Central Highlands of Kenya. Symptomatic bark samples were collected from two sites and the associated fungus isolated and identified using DNA sequence analyses of multiple gene regions. The pathogen was identified as Teratosphaeria gauchensis. This represents the first report of the disease and the pathogen in Kenya.