Pestalotiopsis

Tea grey blight is one of the most serious diseases affecting tea leaves, also known as tea shoot blight, primarily caused by the plant pathogenic fungus Pestalotiopsis sp.. This disease mainly affects mature and old leaves but can also infect young shoots, causing leaf withering, shedding, and even death of the entire plant, significantly impacting tea yield and quality. In recent years, there have been reports in China identifying a diversity of pathogens causing this disease, with multiple species within the genus Pestalotiopsis showing significant biological differences, making control challenging. Currently, chemical fungicides such as carbendazim, thiophanate-methyl, copper compounds, and others are primarily used for control, while biofungicides like pseudomonads, bacilli, and antibiotics (such as Wuyi mycin, camellia saponin, kasugamycin, and nisin) and extracts from approximately 30 plants, including Datura, are increasingly being applied. This article discusses the distribution and damage of tea grey blight, the biological characteristics of its causative agents, and epidemiological patterns, and proposes integrated control measures to provide guidance for practical disease management. I. Distribution and Damage Tea grey blight is widely distributed in tea-growing regions, including India and Japan, and occurs in all tea-producing areas in China. On young shoots, mature, and old leaves, the…