First report of Quambalaria eucalypti in Portugal
During a survey on pathogens of commercial eucalyptus plantations carried out in Portugal, the presence of a plant pathogenic fungus, Quambalaria eucalypti, was found on Eucalyptus globulus in 15 different locations scattered over Portugal (out of a total of 41 surveyed sites). The identity of the pathogen was confirmed by sequence analyses of the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region of the rDNA operon, as well as morphological characteristics. In nurseries, the most common symptom was the presence of white masses of powdery spores on stem lesions. In plantations, no symptoms were observed on mature adult foliage, but Q. eucalypti was found to be associated with cankers and bark splitting on the trunk. Q. eucalypti is thought to originate from Australia, but it was first reported from South Africa on E. grandis. It is known to occur in several countries of the Southern Hemisphere, including South Africa, Brazil, Uruguay and Australia. This is the first time that Q. eucalypti is reported from Portugal and from the EPPO region.
Sources
Bragança H, Diogo ELF, Neves L, Valente C, Araújo C, Bonifácio L, Phillips AJL (2015) Quambalaria eucalypti a pathogen of Eucalyptus globulus newly reported in Portugal and in Europe. Forest Pathology DOI: 10.1111/efp.12221