Development of Tea bush replant disease by red root rot fungus

The fungal pathogen Ganoderma philippii (Gp) infects the tea bushes and causes necrotic red root rot. It is more prevalent in mature tea plantations than in younger tea plantations. HPLC analyses of the tea rhizosphere soils for phenolic acids showed a significant increase in the amount of gallic acid and catechin in the rhizosphere soils of older plants. Quantitative RT-PCR results showed that the Gp fungus number in the rhizosphere soil increases with plant age. Both gallic acid (GA) and catechin (CA) stimulate the growth of this fungus in in-vitro and their addition to the soil along with Gp, decreases the tea plant growth.