DefinePK

Abstract

ABSTRACT During a survey of cultivated fields of Malir, Karachi, Annona squamosa L., Pithecellobium dulce (Roxb.) Benth and Aralia sp. were found to show symptoms of die back disease. Microscopic examination of the dead branches revealed the presence of dark black pycnidia which were ostiolate, measuring upto 3-4.4 mm, with pycniospores dark, bicelled, ovoid to elongate, measuring 20-27.5 um x 10-15 um. The fungus was identified as Botryodiplodia theobromae Pat. There does not appear to be any previous record of B. theobromae Pat, on A. squamosa (KUMH 2179), Aralia sp. (KUMH 2180) and P. dulce (KUMH 2178) in Fungi of Pakistan (Mirza & Qureshi, 1978) and Fungi of Karachi (Ghaffar & Kafi, 1968; Ghaffar et al., 1971; Ghaffar & Abbas, 1972). The specimens have been deposited at the Karachi University Mycological Herbarium.