A New Report of Fruit Rot of Lemon Caused by Ceratocystis radicicola from Iran

In the year 2000, a fungus was isolated from rotting lemon (Citrus limon) fruit in the Kahnouj region, south-eastern Iran and subsequently identified as Ceratocystis radicicola (anamorph: Chalara sp.). A pathogenicity test was carried out to fulfil Koch’s postulates. The pathogen could only enter the ripen lemon fruit and cause the rot disease through the wounds and cracks. The fungus was also pathogenic on fruit of other citrus species as well as date palm (Phoenix dactylifera). Symptom development was slow on fruits on the tree but accelerated after fruit harvest