Botryosphaeriaceae species associated with canker and die-back disease of conifers in urban environments in Serbia

e-mail: milica.zlatkovic@uns.ac.rs

Abstract

During the course of the last decade, crown die-back and mortality of various coniferous trees and shrubs has been observed in urban environments in Serbia. Disease symptoms and signs have been typical of those caused by canker pathogens and included resin-soaked necrotic lesions and cankers, bark cracking, abundant resin bleeding on the main stems and branches, die-back of stems, branch flagging and red-brown or bluish discoloration of sapwood followed by browning and reddening of the leaves or a needle fall. Moreover, these symptoms were often accompanied by the formation of numerous pycnidia beneath the bark of the infected tissues. The cause of the die-back is thought to be associated with recent climate extremes, urban forest management practices and opportunistic infections caused by fungi residing in the Botryosphaeriaceae (Ascomycota: Botryosphaeriales).

Keywords: Botryosphaeriales, canker pathogens, die-back disease, urban tree pathology