Abstract
Plantations of Eucalyptus globulus represent the main source of wood for the pulp and paper industry in Portugal and are affected by the complex of Mycosphaerella and Teratosphaeria species (Mycosphaerella leaf disease), which is an important foliage disease worldwide. This disease affect mainly young trees with juvenile-phase foliage, causing premature defoliation, decreased growth and wood production. Species of Mycosphaerella sensu lato reported on eucalypts in Portugal are M. communis, M. heimii, M. lateralis, M. madeirae, M. marksii M. walkeri, T. africana, T. molleriana, T. nubilosa and T. parva. In order to complete the survey, symptomatic leaves were collected from Eucalyptus globulus plantations. Morphological and molecular characterization was used to give an indication of the species occurrence and most frequent species (T. nubilosa) and the composition of the MLD complex that did not change after the latest review.
Highlights
Mycosphaerella sensu lato is represented by more than 10,000 taxa (Crous, 2009) and some of them cause significant economic losses worldwide on plant hosts
Mycosphaerella leaf disease (MLD) on eucalypts is a significant disease worldwide that can reduce the growth of Eucalyptus when defoliation of the juvenile crown reaches more than 25% (Lundquist and Purnell, 1987; Dungey et al, 1997) affecting the pulp and paper industry
In the 19th century, eucalypts were introduced in Portugal and Spain and Teratosphaeria molleriana (= M. molleriana) reported by von Thumen (1881) in Portugal was the first species of Mycosphaerella recorded outside Australia (Crous and Wingfield, 1997)
Summary
Mycosphaerella sensu lato is represented by more than 10,000 taxa (Crous, 2009) and some of them cause significant economic losses worldwide on plant hosts. Mycosphaerella leaf disease (MLD) on eucalypts is a significant disease worldwide that can reduce the growth of Eucalyptus when defoliation of the juvenile crown reaches more than 25% (Lundquist and Purnell, 1987; Dungey et al, 1997) affecting the pulp and paper industry. MLD is considered to be the most damaging leaf disease of Eucalyptus in Australia (Park and Keane, 1984; Park, 1988; Park et al, 2000; Carnegie, 2007) and is expected to become gradually more important worldwide in the future (Crous et al, 2004). In the 19th century, eucalypts were introduced in Portugal and Spain and Teratosphaeria molleriana (= M. molleriana) reported by von Thumen (1881) in Portugal was the first species of Mycosphaerella recorded outside Australia (Crous and Wingfield, 1997). In 2009, based on morphological and molecular analysis was suggested the occurrence of two more species, M. grandis and M. vespa, considered synonyms of T. parva and T. molleriana respectively by Hunter et al (2006) (Silva et al, 2009)
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