인도·남아시아

Costus speciosus is known as an insulin plant because of its anti-diabetic property. During the rainy season, a leaf pinpoint disease was observed in the field of C. speciosus, at the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research-Central Institute of Medicinal and Aromatic Plants, India. Based on the morphological, molecular, and phylogenetic analysis of Internal Transcribed Spacer region and Glyceraldehyde 3-phosphate dehydrogenase gene sequences, the isolated fungus, from symptomatic leaves, was identified and characterized. Morphological and molecular study revealed that isolated fungi belong form genus Curvularia Sp. dactyloctenicola. Further, sprays of conidial suspension on healthy C. specious plants, developed the symptoms alike to observed in the field and the reisolated fungus was identified as C. dactyloctenicola which fulfilled Koch’s postulates. It revealed that the studied disease, caused by C. dactyloctenicola, and its presence on C. speciosus is the first report from India. This disease impacts on the overall health of plant quality, their medicinal values and displayed as an economically important phytopathogen. In addition, this disease reduces the marketable yield, leading to financial losses for cultivators and traders.