First report of Diaporthe eres causing white spot of maize in China

Maize (Zea Mays L.) is one of China's most widely grown cereals, a crucial food crop, and a vital source of feed and raw materials for various industries. In March 2023, a disease with typical white spot symptoms was observed on maize across 40% of the planted area in a farm field in Jiangcheng Hani and Yi Autonomous County, Yunnan Province, China. The disease initially showed water-soaked patches on leaves, which eventually faded to dark brown, forming irregular spots with yellow to brownish margins. The Dns14-1 strain, isolated from infected leaves, was identified as Diaporthe eres based on morphological and molecular identification. Pathogenicity tests found it to be one of the causal agents of white spots on maize leaves. To our knowledge, this is the first report of D. eres causing white spots on maize in China. •Diaporthe eres was firstly reported to cause white leaf spots on maize.•The white leaf spot of maize could cause by multiple fungal infections.•Environmental factors could be considered when formulating management measures.