First Report of Diaporthe actinidiae, the Causal Organism of Stem-end Rot of Kiwifruit in Korea

Post-harvest diseases of kiwifruit caused severe damages on the fruits during storage, transportation, marketing and consumption. Phomopsis sp. was reported to be one of the major causal organisms of post-harvest fruit rots of kiwifruit. Symptoms of stem-end rot caused by Phomopsis sp. appeared at the stem-end area of the fruit as it ripened. The brown pubescent skin at the area became soft and lighter in color than the adjacent firm healthy tissues. A watery exudate and white mycelial mats were frequently visible at the stem-end area forming a water-drop stain down the sides on the dry brown healthy skin. When the skin was peeled back, the affected flesh tissue was usually watersoaked, disorganized, soft and lighter green than the healthy tissue. Phomopsis sp. was consistently isolated from the diseased fruits, and its pathogenicity was confirmed by an artificial inoculation test on healthy fruit of kiwifruits. The mycological characteristics of the telemorph state of the fungus produced on potato-dextrose agar were in accordance with those of Diaporthe actinidiae. This is the first report on the occurrence of a telemorph state of D. actinidiae as the causal organism of stem-end rot of kiwifruit in Korea.