Nothophaeocryptopus gaeumannii causes Swiss needle cast disease in Douglas‐fir forest trees and ornamental plantations. This study analysed disease and pathogen behaviour from summer 2011 to spring 2012. An untreated plot within a Pseudotsuga menziesii var. glauca plantation in Valle de Bravo, Mexico was divided into 12 sub‐plots. At each sampling date, needles were collected from four trees per sub‐plot

A survey for Bursaphelenchus species was carried out in broadleaf forest sites of İzmit Forest Management Directorate. Nematodes were extracted from 128 wood samples, and 22 of them were cultured. Nematodes were identified using morphological characteristics and molecular analysis by amplifying D2‐D3 LSU with primers. Only one Bursaphelenchus species, Bursaphelenchus mucronatus kolymensis, was isolated

Dothistroma needle blight (DNB) caused by the ascomycetous fungus Dothistroma septosporum is an important pine disease in Europe. In this study, we determined the distribution and abundance of D. septosporum in local Scots pine forests and plantations in Lithuania and neighbouring Belarus by combining morphological observations and molecular tools. This is the first valid report on the occurrence of

During the annual monitoring surveys for the pinewood nematodes, Bursaphelenchus xylophilus, conducted in the Tuscany region (Central Italy) from the year 2015 to 2019, a total of 1,025 wood samples were collected from symptomatic plants in coniferous forests. Among the eight Bursaphelenchus species found, Bursaphelenchus abietinus and B. andrassyi were identified through morphological and molecular

Six species of the genus Bursaphelenchus were recovered as the result of a survey to assess the potential introduction of Bursaphelenchus xylophilus into the conifer forests of Romania. Bursaphelenchus xylophilus was not detected in the sampling regions. Bursaphelenchus dietrichi was recovered from one point, representing the first report of this species in the country. The other detected species,

Taxonomical re‐examination of the Phyllosticta species parasitic fungi on coniferous trees (Cupressaceae) in Japan was conducted based on current criteria, such as morphological and cultural characteristics, phylogenetic relationship and pathogenicity. Phylogenetic analyses revealed several clades composed of plant pathogens isolated from a specific host as well as clades composed of endophytic species

The genus Quambalaria includes several important pathogens of Eucalyptus and Corymbia spp., mainly those that cause leaf and shoot blight. The species Quambalaria eucalypti has been reported to be an aetiological agent of this disease in Brazil only in nurseries involved in the production of Eucalyptus minicuttings, where climatic conditions are more favourable for the pathogen. The aim of this study

In temperate systems of the Northern Hemisphere, wood‐decay fungi are known to facilitate cavity excavation by woodpeckers. For South America, woodpecker–fungi interactions have not been explored. The aim of this work was to identify wood‐decay fungi associated with the process of cavity excavation by the Magellanic woodpecker (Campephilus magellanicus), a large South American picid that excavates

A Belgium‐wide survey to determine the presence of ‘Candidatus Phytoplasma ulmi’ elm trees was performed on nearly 600 elm trees. The randomly sampled elms were screened for the presence of phytoplasmas using a standard generic nested PCR method. In five symptomless elm trees, phytoplasmas were detected. Multiple gene sequence analysis (16S rRNA, tuf, rplV‐rpsC‐rplP), virtual RFLP of the 16S rRNA gene

Most wood‐decay fungi contribute to the healthy functioning of forest ecosystems, whereas others cause infectious diseases of woody plants and high economic losses for forest management. In this study, we pursued the hypothesis that pathogenic wood‐rotting Agaricomycetes occur less frequently in undisturbed forests than in managed stands, especially artificial monocultures. The prevalence of two important

Spots have been observed on petioles and along the midrib and vein of leaves from saplings and shrubs of Erythrina variegata in a Brazilian municipality in the state of Minas Gerais. An acervular fungus resembling Colletotrichum spp. was consistently observed associated with these spots. The aim of this study was to identify the fungus associated with E. variegata employing morphological characteristics

Increased diseases outbreaks in Gmelina arborea (melina) are a threat to sustainability of commercial plantations. One main disease, known as 'melina sudden death', limits the growth and development of trees, causing losses of up to 40% in commercial plantation. However, the main cause of this disease was unknown, until now. Proof of Ceratocystis fimbriata as the aetiological agent of 'melina sudden

In March 2020, symptoms of powdery mildew were observed on Bauhinia variegata, B. blakeana and Desmodium caudatum in Taiwan. The fungus was identified as Erysiphe lespedezae based on morphological characteristics of the anamorph and the molecular analysis of the rDNA ITS sequences. In the phylogenetic tree, the powdery mildews on Bauhinia spp. and D. caudatum were divided into two groups, suggesting

During the monitoring of oak decline phenomenon in Slovakia, symptoms indicative of Phytophthora diseases were observed in sessile oak stands in western Slovakia. The study aimed to test the presence and diversity of Phytophthora species associated with declining oak stands. From rhizosphere soil samples, Phytophthora plurivora, P. quercina and Pythium intermedium were detected. Soil inoculation tests

Constitutive and inducible terpene production is involved in conifer resistance against insects and fungal infestations. To gain knowledge about local defence responses of Norway spruce bark against pathogens and to find potential chemical markers for resistance breeding, we inoculated the stem of 8‐year‐old Norway spruce (Picea abies) clonal trees with both Endoconidiophora polonica (Ep, a common

The high economic return from sales of palm oil is because of its inclusion in a vast range of commodities, and Malaysia is the second largest producer after Indonesia. However, increasing cultivation of oil palm has a negative environmental impact threatening sustainability. Basal stem rot (BSR) by Ganoderma boninense is of major concern to sustainability of the palm oil industry. CLIMEX, a computer

Reports of Ailanthus altissima stand declines in south‐central Pennsylvania resulted in the identification of the causal agent, a vascular wilt fungus, Verticillium nonalfalfae. Additional surveys throughout North America and Europe found that this disease outbreak was not an isolated event. One of these surveys identified and monitored six naturally diseased A. altissima stands in Virginia, USA, between

Production of β‐glucosidase was investigated in nine isolates of Armillaria representing four species found in Europe: Armillaria mellea and Armillaria ostoyae, considered to be pathogenic and moderately pathogenic, respectively, and Armillaria. gallica and Armillaria cepistipes, both considered to be non‐pathogenic. β‐glucosidase was predominantly produced in the rhizomorphs, while the vegetative

The performance of laboratory X‐ray computed tomography (XCT) for the non‐destructive imaging of root wood was evaluated. Lateral roots of oriental cherry (Prunus serrulata var. spontanea) and Japanese zelkova (Zelkova serrata) were severed in spring and maintained in soil for 6 months. Without sectioning, XCT revealed the phloem, xylem and vascular cambium structures in the root wood. A virtual transverse

In February 2015, an unexpected windstorm downed five hectares of a European black pine Pinus nigra subsp. laricio forest formation located close to Vallombrosa, Florence (Central Italy). In the following spring, an extensive survey was conducted in the area. Felled trees, stumps and all the suitable plant material were screened for the presence of the pinewood nematode (PWN), Bursaphelenchus xylophilus

Trees of Cenostigma tocantinum showing brown leaf spots surrounded by chlorotic areas were observed at the campus of the Federal University of Amazonas, Brazil, in 2018. Necrotic lesions were covered by orange masses of hyaline cylindrical conidia with rounded ends, typical of the genus Colletotrichum. Three monoconidial isolates were subject of DNA extraction followed by PCR amplification and sequencing

Erysiphe bulbouncinula (≡ Bulbouncinula bulbosa) on Koelreuteria paniculata is a powdery mildew native and endemic in China. Fresh samples of this species were collected on K. paniculata in Sichuan Province, China, in 2018. This is the fourth confirmed identification of this species. The original description in 1932 was based on one specimen from Hangzhou and then was described in Nanjing in 1990 and

In September 2019, two diseased plants of Campsis grandiflora showing the main symptom of witches' ‐broom (CgWB) were found in a nursery garden in Yangling, Shaanxi province, China. Partial 16S ribosomal RNA (F2nR2 region) and ribosomal protein (rp) genes of phytoplasmas were generated from the symptomatic plants by PCR amplification, and phytoplasma bodies were observed in the sieve tube elements

Ceratocystis platani causes canker stain of plane trees, and it represents a serious disease of Platanus spp. both in the United States and Europe. Current chemical or biological controls do not effectively manage C. platani, so new preventive methods need to be developed in order to limit this pathogen spreading. In this work, we have characterized the main volatile organic compounds (VOC) emitted

The genus Ganoderma Karst. has broad‐spectrum usage in biotechnology, medicine and the food industry. The complexity of the morphology within species has led to uncertain identification in the past, but recent advancements in molecular identification methods have provided scientists with the opportunity to better understand the taxonomy of the species. The present study attempts for the first time

Oil palm (OP) is affected by climate change and the cultivation of the crop also contributes to climate alteration. Simulation modelling and large data sets indicated the effects of climate change on OP will be to (a) reduce growth and yields and (b) cause death of some OP. Furthermore, basal stem rot (BSR) caused by Ganoderma boninense, a serious disease of OP, has increased over the past two or three

Sweet crab apple (Malus coronaria) is a popular ornamental tree planted in gardens and urban forests in South Korea. In 2018, severe symptoms were observed on street plantings of sweet crab apple in Jinju, South Korea including shoot blight: shoot tips, twigs and foliage of infected trees turned brown, and dried completely. The causal agent isolated from the disease lesions was identified as Pseudomonas

A foliar nematode, Litylenchus crenatae ssp. mccannii, is associated with beech leaf disease (BLD) symptoms. Information about the types of tissues parasitized and how nematode populations fluctuate in these tissues over time is needed to improve surveys as well as understand the nematodes role in BLD. During this study, the nematode was detected throughout the known range of BLD by researchers at

Phytophthora austrocedri is a recently invasive soilborne pathogen which is causing widespread mortality of Juniperus communis in northern Britain. The pathways by which a single genotype of P. austrocedri has spread to infect such a geographically dispersed range of woodland sites within a relatively short timeframe are unknown. This study examined the detectability of P. austrocedri in soil and water

The pine wood nematode (PWN), Bursaphelenchus xylophilus, causes huge economic losses in pine forests. The plant‐parasitic nematodes have a complex life cycle that includes the secretion of effector proteins through a stylet into the host cell to promote parasitism. In this study, SignalP 4.1 and TMHMM 2.0 were used in preliminary screens for candidate effectors and were expressed in Nicotiana benthamiana

During 2017, Dutch elm disease was investigated on 67 Ulmus glabra and 29 Ulmus laevis samples from 28 sites in Latvia. The presence of Ophiostoma novo‐ulmi was detected in 61.2% of the samples from U. glabra and in 34.5% of the samples from U. laevis. In 11% of cases, hybrids between subsp. novo‐ulmi and subsp. americana were identified, particularly in the sites in the southern part of Latvia. This

Florida torreya (Torreya taxifolia Arn.) is an endangered conifer with a very limited range in the USA: two counties in Florida and one in Georgia, along the Apalachicola River. The species was once abundant in its small native range but suffered a major decline, ~99% loss, in the late 1950s to early 1960s that is thought to have been caused by a disease. Recently, a canker disease caused by Fusarium

Plant lesions affect disease impact, progression and host resistance. Root lesions caused by Armillaria ostoyae (Romagn.) Herink were inspected on 24‐ to 34‐year‐old planted Douglas‐fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii (Mirb.) Franco) pulled from the soil in five locations. Four hundred seventy‐nine lesions were measured for length (mm), expansion rate (mm/year) and lesion type. Lesion types were patch lesions

In 2015–2016, damping‐off symptoms were observed on Pinus sylvestris and Picea abies seedlings in four forest nurseries in Poland. Some Calonectria isolates were obtained from symptomatic seedlings by culturing pieces of necrotic tissue on malt extract agar.Morphological and molecular analyses revealed that isolates represent Calonectria montana, a recently described species from natural forests in

Since 2015, Araucaria araucana, an ecologically and economically important conifer native to Argentina and Chile, has suffered an unusual partial death of the crown throughout almost all of the distribution range in Argentina. No primary pathogen or pest was evident, associated with the phenomenon. Isolates of Mortierella, a poorly studied fungal genus in Patagonia, were obtained from the margins of

In 2008, a canker disease caused by the fungus Corinectria constricta was detected in southern Chile. The causal agent was previously identified as Neonectria fuckeliana (now Corinectria fuckeliana), which has been associated with stem cankers in Pinus radiata plantations in New Zealand since the 1990s. Many basic aspects of the life cycle of C. constricta remain unknown. The current study aimed to

Ralstonia solanacearum sensu lato causes bacterial wilt in many agronomic crops and tree species economically important worldwide. It is a species complex that has been divided into phylotypes and sequevars, commonly related to geographic distribution. Knowledge of the phylotype composition and genetic variability in populations of this phytopathogenic bacterium is useful for implementing effective

During the summer of 2018, one Syringa reticulata plant showing witches' broom and small leaves was observed in Beijing, China. Molecular diagnostic tools and electron microscopic cell observation were used to detect the possible pathogen of this disease. As a result, the phytoplasma in the symptomatic S. reticulata tree was confirmed by amplifying the 16S rRNA gene using the phytoplasma‐specific universal

Raffaelea quercus‐mongolicae is a mycangial symbiont of a wood‐boring ambrosia beetle, Platypus koryoensis (Coleoptera: Curculionidae: Platypodidae), which is believed to be associated with oak mortality in South Korea. Since the first discovery of the disease in 2004, oak mortality has continued to spread across the country, and the pathogen has had a significant impact on forest ecosystems in the

The presence of quarantine pathogen Lecanosticta acicola, the causal agent of brown spot needle blight, was confirmed using molecular methods for the first time in northern part of Poland on the coastal area adjacent to the Baltic Sea. This area includes sandy beaches, where Pinus mugo and P. sylvestris were planted. Symptomatic needles were collected in 2017 from 20 P. mugo trees growing in one stand

Phytophthora pluvialis and Phytophthora kernoviae are the causal agents of important needle diseases on Pinus radiata in New Zealand. Little is known about the epidemiology of the diseases, making the development of control strategies challenging. To investigate the seasonality and climatic drivers of sporulation, inoculum traps, consisting of pine fascicles floating on water in plastic containers

Cytospora species are capable of causing destructive cankers of stems belonging to a wide range of woody plant species. In severe cases, cankers may lead to dieback of twigs and branches. Little is known about the Cytospora species causing canker disease of wild apple (Malus sieversii) trees in the Wild Fruit Forest Reserve in Tianshan Forest, Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, China. In this study

Symptoms of beech leaf disease (BLD), first reported in Ohio in 2012, include interveinal greening, thickening and often chlorosis in leaves, canopy thinning and mortality. Nematodes from diseased leaves of American beech (Fagus grandifolia) sent by the Ohio Department of Agriculture to the USDA, Beltsville, MD in autumn 2017 were identified as the first recorded North American population of Litylenchus

Rust diseases of spruce and rhododendrons caused by Chrysomyxa succinea are commonly observed in forests of northern and eastern Asia. The heteroecious life cycle of this species alternating between spermogonial and aecial stages on Picea jezoensis and uredinial and telial stages on Rhododendron aureum is confirmed for the first time in China by inoculations and phylogenetic analyses. Morphological

Pomegranate (Punica granatum) is native to Iran and neighbouring countries and is negatively affected by a wide range of diseases. Canker and dieback diseases caused by Cytospora punicae and members of the family Botryosphaeriaceae are the main trunk diseases on pomegranate. In summer 2017, progressive dieback of branches on some young pomegranate trees was observed in orchards of the Gorgan Region

Alternaria leaf spot of Ailanthus excelsa is generally considered as minor disease in India. Recently, severe disease outbreaks were recorded in the nursery of the Forest Research Institute, Dehradun, progeny trial at Jhumpa, Haryana, and in a nearby farm field. Leaf symptoms included small circular, brown, necrotic spots with a chlorotic halo. With severe infections, leaf spots coalesced and resulted

The most recent outbreaks of boxwood blight caused by Calonectria pseudonaviculata, in Hyrcanian forests of Iran, have sparked the need for research to identify eco‐friendly fungicides for management purposes. Our study was conducted to test the efficacy of humic substances against C. pseudonaviculata under both in vitro and in vivo conditions. For this purpose, humic acids (HA) and fulvic acids (FA)

The cover image is based on the Short Communication First report of Sydowia polyspora causing disease on Pinus pinea shoots by Helena Bragança, Ana Paula Ramos, Ana Cristina Silva et al., https://doi.org/10.1111/efp.12570.

Wilt disease caused by Fusarium solani is a serious constraint to Dalbergia sissoo (shisham) plantations in northern India. In this study, the antagonistic potential of 40 bacterial isolates recovered from rhizophere soil of healthy shisham trees, and a well‐characterized Trichoderma species (Trichoderma virens) were tested for their possibility as biocontrol agents for F. solani. Two promising isolates

American beech (Fagus grandifolia) is the target of a newly emerging disease in North America called beech leaf disease (BLD) that affects and disfigures leaves and which can lead to tree mortality. Beech leaf disease may be caused by a newly recognized subspecies of the anguinid nematode Litylenchus crenatae subsp. mccannii, but the associations of this nematode with bacterial and fungal taxa are

As a result of the detection of the pinewood nematode Bursaphelenchus xylophilus in Portugal, and its subsequent spread to Spain, intense surveys were conducted to screen for the presence of Bursaphelenchus species in Romania. Herein, we report recent surveys of insects potentially vectoring Bursaphelenchus species collected using trap trees or pheromone‐baited traps placed in the forest. Trap felled

The occurrence of previously unknown tar‐spot disease on Salix koriyanagi was observed during surveys for forest disease outbreaks in Korea. The fungus associated with tar‐spot disease was identified as Rhytisma filamentosum based on morphological characteristics of the fungus and molecular sequencing of the ITS and 28S rDNA regions of two samples. To our knowledge, this is the first report of R. filamentosum

Brown slime flux seeps slowly out of wounds and flows down the bark of roadside Populus tomentosa in Beijing, China. Two bacterial isolates, SL2‐2 and SL3‐3, obtained from the brown slime flux were identified as Providencia rettgeri based on 16S rRNA gene sequencing. After inoculation into the bark of roadside P. tomentosa with sterile deionized water as a control, both SL2‐2 and SL3‐3 triggered the

Sterculia nobilis is an important tropical woody plant with high ornamental and economic value. At present, there are few reports of diseases on this plant. In August 2018, an unknown leaf spot disease was observed on S. nobilis in Nanning, China, affecting the inner leaves of the canopy and causing considerable defoliation. The pathogen was isolated, and pathogenicity tests carried out on detached

Fusarium circinatum is the causal agent of pitch canker, a destructive disease that threatens natural and planted pine forests around the world. Although pitch canker has caused problems in Spain and Portugal, concerning Europe as a whole, the fungus is not established across the pine distribution area. Its dispersion by wind and/or insect vectors could nevertheless play a role in the colonization

Leaf yellowing symptoms were observed on Acacia mangium in the Sipahijala district of Tripura, India, during June 2017. Symptomatic and asymptomatic leaf samples (three of each) were collected from roadside trees of A. mangium for DNA extraction using the CTAB method. Amplicons of ~1.25 kb and ~480 bp were detected in all the symptomatic samples using the phytoplasma‐specific universal 16S rRNA and

Oak decline syndrome is characterized by periodic occurrences of decline and death of oaks over widespread areas. An outbreak of a new emerging disease on oak trees was reported in the Hyrcanian forest of Iran (Mazandaran and Golestan provinces) that showed stem bleeding and canker symptoms. Bacterial isolates were characterized through biochemical and physiological tests, protein electrophoresis,

Ash dieback (ADB) caused by the pathogen Hymenoscyphus fraxineus is the cause of massive mortality of Fraxinus spp. in Europe. The aim of this work was to check for the presence of the molecular marker for ADB tolerance in mapped healthy‐looking F. excelsior trees, and to compare its occurrence in trees exhibiting severe ADB symptoms. Monitoring of 135 healthy‐looking F. excelsior on the island of