Nine pathogenic fungi of waterhyacinth isolated in China

The native pathogens of waterhyacinth in China, were studied and compared on pathogenicity by Koch’s postulate. Nine pathogenic fungi, YBH, YBB, YB, YYX, YY, YBA1, YBA2, YBA3 and YYB12, were isolated from diseased waterhyacinth plants, and collected from Zhejiang province and Shanghai. According to cultural characteristics, the nine isolates were preliminarily identified. Isolates YBH and YBB were Collectotrichum sp.; YB, YYX and YY were placed in fungi imperfecti; the isolates YBA1, YBA2, YBA3 and YYB12 were Alternaria sp. The isolate YBH was the highly virulent with a disease index (DI) of 65.28% after one month inoculation. The isolate YBA3 was equily virulent, with the disease index of 67% after 7 day introduction. These two pathogens appear to have the potential as biocontrol agents and they deserve further study.