Open Access

ARTICLE

Identifying the Causative Pathogen of Rosa roxburghii Tratt. Fruit Rot and Laboratory Screening for Control Agents

Di Wu¹, Chunguang Ren¹, Liangliang Li¹, Chongpei Zheng², Wenwen Su^1,*

1 Guizhou Institute of Mountain Resources, Guiyang, 550001, China
2 Pubei County Bureau of Industry and Information Technology, Qinzhou, 535300, China

* Corresponding Author: Wenwen Su. Email:

(This article belongs to the Special Issue: Plant Protection and Pest Management)

Phyton-International Journal of Experimental Botany 2025, 94(12), 4079-4090. https://doi.org/10.32604/phyton.2025.072856

Received 05 September 2025; Accepted 25 November 2025; Issue published 29 December 2025

Abstract

To identify the pathogen responsible for fruit rot disease in Rosa roxburghii Tratt. from Guiding County, Guizhou Province, China, diseased fruit samples were collected. The pathogen was isolated, purified, and identified through morphological, molecular, and pathogenic analyses. Subsequently, its biological characteristics were evaluated. Furthermore, to determine the agent with the strongest toxicity against the identified pathogen, the antifungal activity of six chemical and biological agents was evaluated through indoor toxicity assays. Finally, Neopestalotiopsis clavispora was identified as the pathogen responsible for fruit rot disease in R. roxburghii Tratt. The diameter of the pathogen grown under different carbon and nitrogen sources, temperatures, and pH values was measured using the crossintersection method. The optimal carbon and nitrogen sources were soluble starch and peptone, respectively. The optimal growth temperature ranged from 25°C to 30°C, and the optimal growth pH ranged from 4 to 8. The antifungal effects of six agents, including carvacrol 5% aqueous solution and trifloxystrobin–tebuconazole 75% water-dispersible granules, on the mycelial growth rate of N. clavispora were evaluated. All six agents inhibited N. clavispora, with thiophanate–methyl 70% wettable powder showing the strongest antifungal effect and effectively inhibiting mycelial growth even at the lowest concentration. This was followed by difenoconazole–azoxystrobin 48% suspension concentrate, ethylicin 80% emulsifiable concentrate, and trifloxystrobin–tebuconazole 75% WG, with half-maximal effective concentrations of 0.0105, 0.0272, and 0.0368 mg/L, respectively. These findings provide a scientific basis for the application of pesticides in the field-based, environmentally friendly control of fruit rot disease in R. roxburghii Tratt.

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