First report of Monilinia fructicola in Spain
In Hungary in October 2005, symptoms of brown rot were observed on imported peaches from Italy and Spain. The infected fruits had been bought at a market and several supermarkets in Budapest and Gödöllö. Based on morphological characteristics and PCR (according to EPPO diagnostic protocol PM7/18), the pathogen was identified as Monilinia fructicola (Petroćzy & Palkovics, 2006). In 2006, the NPPO of Spain confirmed the occurrence of M. fructicola (EPPO A2 list) on its territory. M. fructicola was found in peach trees (Prunus persica) in two adjacent localities: Ivars de Noguera (Provincia de Lleida, Cataluña) and Castillonroy (Provincia de Huesca, Aragón). A focus zone was delimited within a radius of 5 km around the initial finding, and intensive surveys will be carried out in spring 2006 to delimit the extent of the infestation. Another zone of 10 km radius was also delimited and phytosanitary measures will be applied in orchards, packing stations and nurseries to prevent any further spread of the disease.
The situation of Monilinia fructicola in Spain can be described as follows: Present, first reported in 2006, isolated outbreak found in Prunus persica in 2 adjacent localities (Cataluña, Aragón), under official control.
Sources
NPPO of Spain, 2006-03.
Petroćzy M, Palkovics L (2006) First report of brown rot caused by Monilinia fructicola on imported peach in Hungary. Plant Disease 90(3), p 375.