LAUSR

London plane tree (Platanus × acerifolia) is an ornamental plant species of urban environments, and is widely planted in China and many other countries. In August 2014, symptoms of stem blight were observed on P. × acerifolia in Kunming, Yunnan province (southwestern China). Symptoms included stem dieback, and branch blight. The inner bark and the cambial region of the affected tissue were discoloured bluish gray; from 10 to 15% of trees were damaged. Samples from plants with symptoms were washed with running tap water, surface sterilised with 2% sodium hypochlorite and then 70% ethanol, rinsed in sterile distilled water, plated on potato dextrose agar (PDA) and incubated at 28°C. Fungal isolates developed copious white aerial mycelium that became dark grey after 4 to 6 days, and formed black pycnidia after 25 days. Conidia forming on PDA were one-celled, fusiform to ellipsoidal, externally smooth and thin walled, with dimensions of 16.0-23.0 x 5.2-7.8 (average 18.5 x 5.7 μm). Identity was confirmed by an...