First report of Globisporangium heterothallicum causing root and crown rot of pepper in Turkey

Abstract

Turkey is the world's third-largest producer of pepper (Capsicum annuum), annually cultivating over 90,000 ha and producing over half a million tonnes of fruit. In 2019, wilting and death of c. 20% of plants were observed in pepper fields in Şanlıurfa province, Turkey (Fig. 1). Severe root and crown rot symptoms with discoloration were observed on affected plants, and necrotic lesions expanded rapidly into the stems which killed the plant (Fig. 2).