Identification of Causing Fruit Rot of Citrus in China.

Considering the huge economic loss caused by postharvest diseases, the identification and prevention of citrus postharvest diseases is vital to the citrus industry. In 2018, 16 decayed citrus fruit from four citrus varieties-Satsuma mandarin (), Ponkan ( Blanco cv. Ponkan), Nanfeng mandarin ( cv. nanfengmiju), and Sugar orange ( Blanco)-showing soft rot and sogginess on their surfaces and covered with white mycelia were collected from storage rooms in seven provinces. The pathogens were isolated and the pathogenicity of the isolates was tested. The fungal strains were identified as based on their morphological characteristics and phylogenetic analyses using the internal transcribed spacer regions (ITS), translation elongation factor 1-α gene ), and beta-tubulin () gene sequences. The strains could infect wounded citrus fruit and cause decay within two days post inoculation, but could not infect unwounded fruit. To our knowledge, this is the first report of citrus fruit decay caused by in China.