Abstract
Ceratocystis ficicola causes vascular wilt of fig trees in Japan, invading root systems and the main stems eventually leading to tree death. In surveys from 2018 to 2020 in fig orchards in Greece, this fungus was detected in two separated regions. The fungus was consistently isolated from infected wood and from rhizosphere soil. The isolates were identified based on multi-locus phylogenetic analyses of rpb2, bt1 and tef1 gene regions and detailed morphological characteristics, including comparisons with an ex-type isolate of C. ficicola from Japan. The pathogenicity of Greek isolates was proven on Ficus carica and F. benjamina plants. Ceratocystis ficicola is a soil-borne pathogen, and the occurrence of vascular wilt outbreaks suggest that the pathogen spreads within and between orchards with infested soil and wood debris during ploughing. The pathogen is also spreading in Greece with infected propagation material. This is the first detailed report of C. ficicola outside Japan, and there is concern over potential spread of the pathogen to other Mediterranean countries, where approx. 70% of the world fig production occurs.
Highlights
Fig (Ficus carica L.) is one of the oldest domesticated tree crops globally
Wilted mature trees were usually located in one part of each orchard, and the disease appeared to have spread to neighbouring fig trees
In many of the affected mature trees, complete defoliation was observed by the end of the summer, full foliage had been present on these trees early in the spring
Summary
Fig (Ficus carica L.) is one of the oldest domesticated tree crops globally. According to Kislev et al (2006) this tree was cultivated for its fruit during the Early Neolithic period (11,400 to 11,200 years ago), preceding cereal domestication. Ficus carica is indigenous to the Middle East and Asia Minor, and is mostly cultivated in warm and dry areas of the Mediterranean region (Condit, 1955; Flaishman et al, 2008). Ficus carica has been cultivated in Greece since ancient times, as mentioned by Homer (8th century BC) The Odyssey, and Theophrastus (4–3rd century BC) described cross-. Panaghiotis Tsopelas et alii fertilization of wild and domesticated figs (Condit, 1955). Fig continues to be an important crop, in Greece, where production in 2019 was 19,730 t (FAO, 2019). Any negative impact on these trees due to serious disease is considered important from both a cultural and an economic standpoint
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