A New Disease for Europe of Ficus microcarpa Caused by Botryosphaeriaceae Species

Fiorenza, Alberto; Aiello, Dalia; Costanzo, Mariangela Benedetta; Gusella, Giorgio; Polizzi, G.

doi:10.3390/plants11060727

Cited by 14 publications

(7 citation statements)

References 60 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…McDonald and Eskalen (2011) reported fungi belonging to the Botryosphaeriaceae, including B. dothidea (Fusicoccum aesculi), have been associated with avocado branch cankers in California. Previous field surveys conducted in Sicily on different perennial crops, including pistachio, walnut and Ficus spp., recorded presence of B. dothidea and other Botryosphaeriaceae (Gusella et al, 2020;Fiorenza et al, 2022a). In the present study, within Lasiodiplodia, the L. citricola was occasionally isolated from symptomatic avocado branches, as were M. phaseolina and B. dothidea.…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 54%

Diversity of Botryosphaeriaceae species associated with canker and dieback of avocado (Persea americana) in Italy

FIORENZA,

GUSELLA,

VECCHIO

et al. 2023

Phytopathol. Mediterr.

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Increased branch canker and dieback were observed in commercial avocado (Persea americana) orchards in Sicily, Italy. Surveys were conducted in 2021 and 2022 on 11 orchards to investigate etiology of the disease. Seventy-five plants from four orchards, showing branch canker and dieback, were sampled. Isolations from woody diseased tissues revealed the presence of fungi (Botryosphaeriaceae). Identification of the isolates was achieved by morphological and multi-loci phylogenetic analyses (Maximum Parsimony and Maximum Likelihood) of the ITS, tef1-α, and tub2 loci. Botryosphaeria dothidea, Lasiodiplodia citricola, Macrophomina phaseolina, Neofusicoccum cryptoaustrale, and Neofusicoccum luteum were identified. Representative isolates collected from the orchards, characterized based on the tub2 locus and identified as N. parvum, were excluded from this study, since this species has already been reported in our territory. Pathogenicity tests were conducted on potted, asymptomatic, 2-year-old avocado trees using mycelial plugs. These tests showed that all the Botryosphaeriaceae species characterized in this study were pathogenic to avocado. This is the first report of L. citricola, M. phaseolina and N. cryptoaustrale causing canker and dieback on avocado trees, and is the first record of these fungi causing branch disease on avocado in Italy.

show abstract

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 54%

Diversity of Botryosphaeriaceae species associated with canker and dieback of avocado (Persea americana) in Italy

FIORENZA,

GUSELLA,

VECCHIO

et al. 2023

Phytopathol. Mediterr.

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…In the context of the BTD of olive trees in Apulia [ 22 ], N. stellenboschiana arises in this work as an additional botryosphaeriaceous agent of this syndrome in line with the fact that Botryosphaeriaceae typically co-infect the host leading to disease expression. “Botryosphaeria dieback” of grapevine is the most studied of this taxonomically-related-multi-agent type of disease [ 23 ], but several other examples can be cited in which shoot wilting, dieback, branch canker, wood discolouration, and the death of trees are strictly linked to the colonization of diverse pathogenic Botryosphaericeae species, especially those in the genus Neofusicoccum , Diplodia and Lasiodiplodia : decline and mortality of Eucaliptus camaldulensis in Sardinia (Italy) [ 43 ], dieback and cankers of Loquat [ 44 ], decline of almond [ 45 ], dieback of lentisk [ 46 ], canker and dieback of oleaster [ 18 ], branch and twig dieback of olive trees in Spain and California (USA) [ 11 , 13 ], branch cankers and dieback of Citrus and Ficus microcarpa trees [ 47 , 48 ].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Identification and Characterization of Neofusicoccum stellenboschiana in Branch and Twig Dieback-Affected Olive Trees in Italy and Comparative Pathogenicity with N. mediterraneum

Manetti¹,

Brunetti²,

Lumia³

et al. 2023

JoF

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

For about a decade, olive groves in Apulia (Southern Italy) have been progressively destroyed by Olive Quick Decline Syndrome (OQDS), a disease caused by the bacterium Xylella fastidiosa subsp. pauca (Xfp). Recently, we described an additional wilting syndrome affecting olive trees in that area. The botryosphaeriaceous fungus Neofusicoccum mediterraneum was found associated with the diseased trees, and its high virulence toward olive trees was demonstrated. Given the common features with Branch and Twig Dieback (BTD) of olive tree, occurring in Spain and California, we suggested that the observed syndrome was BTD. During our first survey, we also found a botryosphaeriaceous species other than N. mediterraneum. In the present article, we report the morphological and molecular characterization of this fungal species which we identified as Neofusicoccum stellenboschiana. In the study, we also included for comparison additional N. stellenboschiana isolates obtained from olive trees in Latium and Tuscany region (Central Italy). The occurrence of N. stellenboschiana in olive trees is reported here for the first time in the northern hemisphere. The pathogenicity and virulence were tested in nine inoculation trials, where the Apulian N. stellenboschiana isolate was compared with the isolate from Latium and with the Apulian isolate of N. mediterraneum. Both isolates of N. stellenboschiana proved pathogenic to olive trees. They caused evident bark canker and wood discolouration when inoculated at the base of the stem of two/three-year-old trees and on one-year-old twigs. However, virulence of N. stellenboschiana was significantly lower, though still remarkable, compared with N. mediterraneum in term of necrosis progression in the bark and the wood and capacity of wilting the twigs. Virulence of N. stellenboschiana and N. mediterraneum did not substantially change when inoculations were performed in spring/summer and in autumn, suggesting that these fungal species have the potential to infect and damage olive trees in all seasons. The high thermotolerance of N. stellenboschiana was also revealed with in vitro growth and survival tests. The high virulence of these Botryosphaeriaceae species highlights their contribution in BTD aetiology and the necessity to investigate right away their diffusion and, possibly, the role of additional factors other than Xfp in the general decline of olive groves in Apulia. Hence the importance of assessing the degree of overlap of BTD/Botryosphariaceae with OQDS/Xfp is discussed.

show abstract

“…Botryosphaeriaceae can also infect native hosts, and then move to other introduced hosts in the same region (Pavlic et al, 2007;Luo et al, 2022). Botryosphaeriaceae are responsible for cankers on host trunks, branches and twigs, dieback and shoot blight, bark cracking, wood discolouration, stemend rots and fruit rots (Carlucci et al, 2015; Aiello et al, 2022Bertetti et al, 2013Carlucci et al, 2013Dardani et al, 2023De Corato et al, 2007Dell'Olmo et al, 2023Dissanayake et al, 2017Fiorenza et al, 2022Garibaldi et al, 2012Grasso and Granata, 2010Gusella et al, 2021Lazzizera et al, 2008bLi et al, 2020Linaldeddu et al, 2009, 2015aMarinelli et al, 2012Martino et al, 2023Moricca et al, 2008Piskur et al, 2011Raimondo et al, 2019Scala et al, 2019Schlegel et al, 2018Spagnolo et al, 2011Turco et al, 2006 Alves et al, 2014Ariyawansa et al, 2015Carlucci et al, 2013Dardani et al, 2023Dissanayake et al, 2017Giambra et al, 2016Lazzizera et al, 2008aLinaldeddu et al, 2006b, 2015a, 2016cLorenzini and Zapparoli, 2018Luchi et al, 2014Martino et al, 2023Mondello et al, 2013…”

Section: Impacts Of Diseases Caused By Botryosphaeriaceae Speciesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Current status of Botryosphaeriaceae species in Italy: Impacts on agricultural crops and forest ecosystems

AIELLO,

BREGANT,

CARLUCCI

et al. 2023

Phytopathol. Mediterr.

Self Cite

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Many fungi belonging to Botryosphaeriaceae are well-known as causal agents of diseases in economically and ecologically important agricultural crops and forest trees. In Italy, the high diffusion of Botryosphaeriaceae infections observed over the last decade, has shown the importance of this group of fungi, which are becoming limiting factors for plant production in agricultural systems, nurseries and natural and urban landscapes. Global warming and stress factors such as occasional extreme climatic events can affect the susceptibility of host plants, as well as fungus behaviour, increasing the risk of future infections. Available reports of Botryosphaeriaceae in Italy have been examined, focusing on wood and fruit pathogens, resulting in a list of ten genera and 57 species. Diplodia is the most widespread genus in Italy with 76 records on 44 hosts, while at species level, Neofusicoccum parvum, Botryosphaeria dothidea and Diplodia seriata show the widest host ranges and many records. The ability of the pathogens to remain latent on asymptomatic plants, and uncontrolled trade of plant materials among countries, facilitate the dissemination and potential introduction of new Botryosphaeriaceae species. Preventive detection and adequate control strategies are always needed to limit the potential damage caused by Botryosphaeriaceae. This review had particular emphasis on host-pathogen associations, disease symptoms, geographic distribution, metabolite production, and accurate pathogen identification.

show abstract

A New Disease for Europe of Ficus microcarpa Caused by Botryosphaeriaceae Species

Cited by 14 publications

References 60 publications

Diversity of Botryosphaeriaceae species associated with canker and dieback of avocado (Persea americana) in Italy

Diversity of Botryosphaeriaceae species associated with canker and dieback of avocado (Persea americana) in Italy

Identification and Characterization of Neofusicoccum stellenboschiana in Branch and Twig Dieback-Affected Olive Trees in Italy and Comparative Pathogenicity with N. mediterraneum

Current status of Botryosphaeriaceae species in Italy: Impacts on agricultural crops and forest ecosystems

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About