Update on the situation of Lecanosticta acicola in Spain
In Spain, brown spot needle blight caused by Lecanosticta acicola (EPPO A2 List) was first recorded damaging forests in North-Western Spain in 2015, mainly on Pinus radiata and P. nigra. In Pais Vasco, a large outbreak (more than 30 000 ha) began in 2018 and is resulting in mortality of Pinus forests. A study in three arboreta identified the fungus on a new host (Pinus brutia), and for the first time in Spain on Pinus elliottii and P. ponderosa. It may be noted that, since 2019, Lecanosticta acicola is a regulated non-quarantine pest for the EU. Official measures are applied in nurseries to ensure the production of pest free Pinus plants for planting but official measures are not applied in forests.
The situation of Lecanosticta acicola in Spain can be described as follows: Present.
Sources
Mesanza N, Raposo R, Elvira-Recuenco M, Barnes I, van der Nest A, Hernandez M, Pascual MT, Barrena I, San Martin U, Cantero A, Hernandez-Escribano L, Iturritxa E (2021) New hosts for Lecanosticta acicola and Dothistroma septosporum in newly established arboreta in Spain. Forest Pathology 51, e12650. https://doi.org/10.1111/efp.12650
Mesanza N, García-García D, Raposo ER, Raposo R, Iturbide M, Pascual M, Barrena I, Urkola A, Berano N, Sáez de Zerain A, Iturritxa E (2021) Weather variables associated with spore dispersal of Lecanosticta acicola causing pine needle blight in Northern Spain. Plants 10(12), 2788. https://doi.org/10.3390/plants10122788
Pascual EA (2020) La enfermedad de la mancha marrón, Lecanosticta acicola: gran amenaza desde 2018 para las repoblaciones de Pinus radiata en el País Vasco. Revista Montes 140, 23-28.