STEM AND BRANCH ROT OF CASTOR-OIL PLANT C AUSED BY BOTRYODIPLODIA-THEOBROMAE PAT

For several years, the occurrence of stem and branch rot of the Castor -oil plant has been detected in the fields of castor bean of the state of Bahia, Brazil. It was observed that the fungus Botryodiplodia sp. was frequently associated to the symptoms of this disease. It was afte rward identified as Lasiodiplodia theobromae (Pat.) Griff Br Maubl. (= Botryodiplodia theobromae (Pat.). Pathogenicity studies showed that t he fungus B. theobromae was the etiological agent of the ''rot of Botr yodiplodia''. This disease is characterized by the rot, dry and death of the stem and branches of Castor-oil plants with pycnidium formation of the pathogen on the infected tissue.