Pseudomonas syringae pv.actinidiae infecting kiwifruit in the EC (IT)
A new disease of kiwifruit has been reported from Italy for the first time. Pseudomonas syringae pv. actinidiae caused extensive blight of canes and young kiwifruit plants in Central Italy during spring and summer 1992. Other characteristic symptoms were red-rusty exudations covering the bark of twigs and trunks and angular leaf spots surrounded by chlorotic haloes and tiny cankers along the twigs. The author assumed that the disease was introduced by infected propagation material, since especially 2-year old plants were infected in the affected orchard. All infected plants were uprooted and destroyed. The author believes that P.s. pv. actinidiae could be dangerous, especially since the pathogen causes extensive damage in Japan, the only country where it has been previously reported.
Sources
Scortichini, M. (1993) Pseudomonas syringae pv. avellanae and P. s. pv. actinidiae new problems for hazelnut and kiwifruit cultivation in Italy.
Presentation at the "Premier Colloque Italo-Français De Phytopathologie sur: Maladies nouvelles ou d'introduction récente en France, en Italie et dans le bassin méditerranéen", Alghero, IT, 1993-04-14/18.