Diseases

Leaf spots of crepe myrtle

Lagerstroemia indica L.

The disease manifests as Cercospora and bacterial leaf spots. The primary pathogens are the fungus Pseudocercospora lythracearum and the bacterium Xanthomonas citri pv. lagerstroemium.

In the reference 6 varieties crop Crape myrtle, where this is mentioned in the description.

Cercospora leaf spot, caused by Pseudocercospora lythracearum, appears in late summer on the lower leaves as dark brown spots measuring 3–6 mm. Affected areas are often surrounded by a yellow halo, accompanied by premature defoliation and the formation of a grayish-white sporulation layer on the underside of the leaf blade.

Bacterial leaf spot is characterized by the development of angular or irregularly shaped "oily" dark brown spots with a distinct yellow halo. In breeding, resistance is evaluated using the AUDPC scale, with pure L. indica cultivars being the most susceptible, whereas hybrids involving L. fauriei and L. subcostata demonstrate increased resistance.

General information about the subject — on the page Leaf spot diseases.

Sources8

Varieties of Crape myrtle mentioned in the description

Selection based on the description text, not on official evaluation: these data are absent from registers. For specific variety details, please refer to its profile.