Pathogens from Brazil for classical biocontrol of Tradescantia fluminensis.

Tradescantia fluminensis Vell., also known as wandering Jew, is an herbaceous monocot native to South America. It is an invasive plant in New Zealand and the south-eastern United States where it is considered highly invasive by the Florida Exotic Pest Plant Council. The pathobiota of T. flumi­ nensis in Brazil is almost unknown and could include phytopathogenic microorganisms that could be used in classical biological control programs. A survey for specialized, coevolved phytopathogenic microorganisms of T. fluminensis was initiated in 2003. Five fungal species have been collected including three basidiomycetes—a rust fungus (Uredo sp.), Kordyana tradescantiae (Pat.) Racib. and Ceratobasidium sp.; a hyphomycete—Cercospora apii Fresen. and an ascomycete—Mycosphaerella sp. A bacterial disease was also observed and the bacterium identified as Burkholderia andropogonis (Smith, 1911), based on morphological, biochemical and molecular methods. Its pathogenicity to T. fluminensis was confirmed, and a host-range test was performed. Unfortunately, results indicated that the bacterium is not sufficiently host-specific for classical introductions. Observations of the damage caused by fungal pathogens in the field suggest that those with the best potential as biological control agents are Uredo sp., K. tradescantiae and Mycosphaerella sp.

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