Corynespora cassiicola f. sp. lantanae: a potential biocontrol agent from Brazil for Lantana camara Jos  e Maur  ıcio Pereira, a Robert Weingart Barreto, a, * Carol Ann Ellison, b and Luiz Antonio Maffia a a Departamento de Fitopatologia, Universidade Federal de Vic ßosa, Vic ßosa, MG 36571-000, Brazil b CABI Bioscience, Silwood Park, Buckhurst Road, Ascot, Berkshire, SL5 7TA, UK Received 19 December 2001; accepted 2 July 2002 Abstract Corynespora cassiicola was found for the first time in Brazil in association with Lantana camara. The fungus caused severe defoliation of plants under field conditions. A host-range test indicated that this particular isolate is highly specific to L. camara and restricted to certain lantana biotypes. The lantana-pathogenic C. cassiicola was recognized as a new forma specialis and named C. cassiicola f. sp. lantanae. The fungus sporulated abundantly in some solid substrates, particularly rice and sorghum grains and ground cassava roots. It sporulated well in vegetable–broth–agar medium when grown under continuous light for 15 days at an optimal temperature of 23 °C. Inoculated L. camara plants developed 100% disease severity and > 70% defoliation when exposed to a minimum of 6-h dew period following inoculation. Even plants not exposed to dew developed a high level of disease severity 6 h after inoculation. Plants inoculated twice at 15-day intervals developed high levels of disease severity, had significant growth-re- duction, and occasionally died. A phytotoxic substance was present in the filtrate from germinated conidia of the fungus. C. cas- siicola f. sp. lantanae appears to have a high potential as a biocontrol agent for certain L. camara biotypes. Ó 2002 Elsevier Science (USA). All rights reserved. Keywords: Biological weed control; Lantana camara; Lantana; Corynespora cassiicola 1. Introduction Lantana camara L. (Verbenaceae) is considered one of the most noxious weeds of the world (Holm et al., 1969; Stirton, 1977; Winder and Harley, 1983). This weed has been reported infesting millions of hectares of natural and cultivated lands, causing great ecological and eco- nomic damage (Batianoff and Franks, 1998; Gentle and Duggin, 1997; Holm et al., 1977; Morton, 1994). Because of the losses caused by L. camara and the difficulties involved in its control, it has become a target for classical biological control programs that started early in the 20th century (Greathead, 1968; Palmer and Pullen, 1995; Singh et al., 1997; Thomas and Ellison, 2000). Evans (1987) has suggested that pathogenic fungi might hold good potential for biocontrol of lantana. Systematic field surveys have been carried out in part of the center of origin of lantana and several pathogenic fungi, including some previously undescribed species, have been found (Barreto et al., 1995; Pereira and Barreto, 2000). Corynespora cassiicola (Berk. & Curt.) Wei was found recently for the first time in Brazil (State of Paran a), causing leaf spot (Fig. 1) and severe defoliation of L. camara (Pereira and Barreto, 2000). This fungus is re- garded as a widespread pathogen, associated with more than 70 different host plants in tropical and subtropical countries (Ellis, 1971; Silva et al., 1995). Some authors have considered C. cassiicola to be a cosmopolitan, nonspecific pathogen (Ellis, 1971; Onesirosan et al., 1974; Pollack and Stevenson, 1973). Conversely, other authors have reported C. cassiicola isolates to be host specific (Onesirosan et al., 1974; Silva et al., 1998; Spencer and Walters, 1969). In fact, careful evaluations of the specificity of populations of C. cassiicola have been few. It appears that the general idea of plurivorus Biological Control 26 (2003) 21–31 www.elsevier.com/locate/ybcon * Corresponding author. Fax: +55-31-3899-2240. E-mail addresses: jmp@alunos.ufv.br (J. Maur  ıcio Pereira), rbar- reto@mail.ufv.br (R.W. Barreto), c.ellison@cabi.org (C.A. Ellison), lamaffia@mail.ufv.br (L.A. Maffia). 1049-9644/02/$ - see front matter Ó 2002 Elsevier Science (USA). All rights reserved. PII:S1049-9644(02)00112-3