Identification, Characterization and Biomanagement of Aspergillus terreus Associated with Sunken Leaf Spot of Dandelion (Taraxacum officinale L.) in Kashmir Valley, India

Dandelion (Taraxacum officinale L.) is a high value medicinal and edible plant. The study was conducted to isolate and identify the pathogen causing sunken leaf spot disease on dandelion Taraxacum officinale in the Kashmir Valley, India. The causative agent was found to be Aspergillus terreus which is reported as a novel pathogen causing sunken leaf spot of dandelion. Pathogenicity was confirmed using Koch’s postulates, while the pathogen was identified based on symptomatology, as well as cultural, micro-morphological, and molecular characteristics (using ITS regions as genetic marker). The fungal isolate was identified as Aspergillus terreus through molecular analysis, showing 100% sequence similarity with the assigned accession number PQ215942. Trichoderma longibrachiatum, Trichoderma asperellum, and Trichoderma viride were tested for their biocontrol activity against Aspergillus terreus causing sunken leaf spot disease on Taraxacum officinale. The results reveal that Trichoderma longibrachiatum showed highest antagonistic activity against the newly reported test fungus. The findings offer and act as crucial insights in formulating sustainable and ecofriendly management strategies and can integrated in to disease management module to mitigate the impact of pathogen on Taraxacum officinale in the present climate change scenario.