First Report on Gray Blight of Tea Plant Caused by Pestalotiopsis theae in Korea

A fungus associated with gray blight on tea plant (Camellia sinensis) was identifed as Pestalotiopsis theae based on the mycological characteristics. Mycelial growth on potato dextrose agar and size and shape of conidia of P. theae were similar to those of P. longiseta, but P. theae was different from P. longiseta in the color of three median cells and the number of apical appendages. Artificial inoculation of conidial suspension or mycelial mats on the wounded leaves and shoots of healthy plants induced the same disease, respectively. The Korean native variety was relatively. The Korean native variety was relatively more resistat to P. theae than a Japanese variety‘Yabukita’which has bee recently introduced and planted in large areas of southern parts of Korea. Here, we report the report the first record of gary blight caused by P. theae on tea plant in Korea.