Identification and Characterization of Botrytis Blossom Blight of Japanese Plums Caused by Botrytis cinerea and B. prunorum sp. nov. in Chile

Blossom blight is a destructive disease of plums (Prunus salicina) when humid and temperate weather conditions occur in Chile. Disease incidence ranging from 4 to 53% has been observed. Symptoms include light brown petal necrosis, starting as light brown mottles or V-shaped necrosis at the margins of the petals, progressing to the stamen and pistils. In this study, the etiology of blossom blight of plums was determined. High- and low-sporulating isolates of Botrytis were obtained consistently from blighted blossoms and apparently healthy flowers of plums. Based on colony morphology, conidial production and molecular phylogenetic analysis, these high- and low-sporulating isolates were identified as B. cinerea and B. prunorum sp. nov., respectively. Phylogenetic analysis of the genes glyceraldehyde 3-phosphate dehydrogenase (G3PDH), heat-shock protein 60 (HSP60), and DNA-dependent RNA polymerase subunit II (RPB2) grouped B. prunorum isolates in a single cluster, distantly from B. cinerea and other Botrytis species. The phylogenetic analysis of necrosis and ethylene-inducing protein (NEP1 and NEP2) genes corroborated these results. Analysis of the internal transcribed spacer region and large-subunit (26S) ribosomal DNA and detection of Boty and Flipper transposable elements, were not useful to differentiate between these Botrytis species. Both species were pathogenic on plum flowers and the fruit of plums, apples, and kiwifruits. However, B. prunorum was less virulent than B. cinerea. These pathogens were re-isolated from inoculated and diseased tissues; thus, Koch's postulates were fulfilled, confirming its role in blossom blight of plums. B. cinerea was predominant, suggesting that B. prunorum may play a secondary role in the epidemiology of blossom blight in plums in Chile. This study clearly demonstrated that the etiology of blossom blight of plums is caused by B. cinerea and B. prunorum, which constitute a species complex living in sympatry on plums and possibly on other stone fruit trees.