First Report of Curvularia lunata (ON246070) Causing Leaf Spot Disease of Banana from Raiganj, West Bengal, India

Between December 2021 and January 2022, leaf spot disease was observed on leaves of field-grown banana plants in Sarai, Raiganj, Uttar Dinajpur District, West Bengal. Symptoms first appeared as yellowish brown spots in the middle and margin of leaves. A fungus was isolated from the infected leaf onto potato dextrose agar amended with Monocef. Based on 18S rDNA partial sequencing, the fungus was identified as Curvularia lunata. Disease symptoms developed within 5 days on inoculated detached leaves, and C. lunata was reisolated from the infected spots. This is the first report of C. lunata affecting banana from Sarai.