Neopestalotiopsis rosae is causing strawberry and blueberry diseases in the EPPO region
Several Neopestalotiopsis species have recently been recorded as causing emerging disease on strawberry in different parts of the world (EPPO RS 2021/229). New outbreaks continue to occur around the world as the pathogen can be moved with plants for planting, and then persists in the soil and can infect a number of economically important crops.
In the EPPO region, Neopestalotiopsis rosae has recently been recorded as causing a severe disease to strawberry in Germany and Italy. It was also recently recorded as damaging blueberry crops in Portugal and Serbia.
The distribution map of Neopestalotiopsis rosae has been updated: https://gd.eppo.int/taxon/NPESRS/distribution.
Sources
Blagojević J, Aleksić G, Vučurović I, Starović M, Ristić D (2024) Exploring the phylogenetic diversity of Botryosphaeriaceae and Diaporthe species causing dieback and shoot blight of blueberry in Serbia. Phytopathology 114(6), 1333-1345.
Dardani G, Martino I, Aloi F, Carli C, Giordano R, Spadaro D, Guarnaccia V (2025) Characterization of Neopestalotiopsis species associated with strawberry crown rot in Italy. Agronomy 15, 1-8 https://doi.org/10.3390/horticulturae11030288
Schierling TE, Voegele RT, El-Hasan A (2024) First report on the emergence of Neopestalotiopsis rosae as a severe economic threat to strawberry production in Germany. Microorganisms 13, 6 https://doi.org/10.3390/microorganisms13010006