author(s)
Gaikwad CB, Thorat BS and Bhokare KR

abstract
The present study was conducted for isolation, culturing and identification of the fungus causing leaf spot of banana in the year 2011-13. Disease samples showing typical symptoms of the new leaf spot of banana were collected from banana plantation of the Department of Horticulture, College of Agriculture, Dapoli. Banana was affected by many fungal pathogens causing significant economic damage to quality and productivity in all banana growing regions of the world. Leaf spot diseases can reduce the productivity and quality of the produce and can hinder the market value if not managed properly. Recently a new leaf spot caused by Cordana musae (Zimm.). The pathogen was isolated on PDA (9.00 cm) and identified as Cordana musae on the basis of morphological characters. The symptoms of this disease were different from those of sigatoka leaf spot disease. Maximum colony diameter was recorded on PDA (9.00 cm), which was followed by Malt extract (7.57 cm), King’s agar (6.67 cm), Host leaf extract agar (5.97 cm) and Czapek’s dox agar (3.90 cm). Though the maximum colony diameter was recorded on PDA, the fungal growth was not cottony and profuse as in case of Host leaf extract agar and King’s agar. On malt extract the colony diameter was 7.57 cm but the mycelia growth was sparse. On the basis of the findings of present study it can be concluded that, leaf spot of banana caused by Cordana musae is a new disease of banana in Konkan region.