<abstract xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"><p>Symptoms of discoloration and necrosis of the leaves/needles and shoots of plants are an increasingly common phenomenon in nurseries. They necessitate the withdrawal of the affected plants from sale, which has significant economic consequences. In 2010-2011, observations were conducted of the health of shrubs in nurseries of the Małopolska province. Disease symptoms were mostly found in juniper (<italic>Juniperus horizontalis</italic> ‘Wiltonii’), rose (ground-cover rose ‘Star Profusion’), yew (<italic>Taxus</italic> × <italic>media</italic> ‘Hillii’) and highbush blueberry (<italic>Vaccinium corymbosum</italic> ‘Patriot’). These species were selected for further study. The affected shrubs represented more than 46% of the population of a given species. Fragments of the diseased organs: the leaves or needles, the base of the shoots, and the roots, were collected from the borderline between healthy and diseased tissue, and used to isolate and identify the microorganisms colonizing the diseased parts. The affected organs were found to be inhabited to the largest extent by the fungus <italic>Alternaria alternata</italic> (Fr.) Keissl., which accounted for 19.7 to 47.5% of the isolates from the tested species of shrubs. There were also large populations of fungi of the genera: <italic>Botrytis</italic> (up to 9.82%), <italic>Cladosporium</italic> (up to 5.66%), <italic>Colletotrichum</italic> (up to 5.13%), <italic>Fusarium</italic> (up to 18.38%), <italic>Mortierella</italic> (up to 7.26%), <italic>Pestalotia</italic> (up to 5.36%), <italic>Rhizoctonia</italic> (up to 5.36%), <italic>Sclerotinia</italic> (up to 6.99%), and <italic>Trichoderma</italic> (up to 17.09%). The fungus <italic>A. alternata</italic>, being by far the dominant pathogen, was tested for its pathogenicity for the shoots of the chosen species of shrubs. The test was conducted for 14 days in a chamber with parameters so programmed that they reflected the natural conditions at the height of the growing season. The fungus <italic>A. alternata</italic> exhibited pathogenicity for all of the tested species of shrubs. Necrosis developed on all the inoculated fragments of shoots. The surface area of necrotic lesions was larger on the shoots of juniper and blueberry.</p></abstract>

Symptoms of discoloration and necrosis of the leaves/needles and shoots of plants are an increasingly common phenomenon in nurseries. They necessitate the withdrawal of the affected plants from sale, which has significant economic consequences. In 2010-2011, observations were conducted of the health of shrubs in nurseries of the Małopolska province. Disease symptoms were mostly found in juniper (Juniperus horizontalis ‘Wiltonii’), rose (ground-cover rose ‘Star Profusion’), yew (Taxus × media ‘Hillii’) and highbush blueberry (Vaccinium corymbosum ‘Patriot’). These species were selected for further study. The affected shrubs represented more than 46% of the population of a given species. Fragments of the diseased organs: the leaves or needles, the base of the shoots, and the roots, were collected from the borderline between healthy and diseased tissue, and used to isolate and identify the microorganisms colonizing the diseased parts. The affected organs were found to be inhabited to the largest extent by the fungus Alternaria alternata (Fr.) Keissl., which accounted for 19.7 to 47.5% of the isolates from the tested species of shrubs. There were also large populations of fungi of the genera: Botrytis (up to 9.82%), Cladosporium (up to 5.66%), Colletotrichum (up to 5.13%), Fusarium (up to 18.38%), Mortierella (up to 7.26%), Pestalotia (up to 5.36%), Rhizoctonia (up to 5.36%), Sclerotinia (up to 6.99%), and Trichoderma (up to 17.09%). The fungus A. alternata, being by far the dominant pathogen, was tested for its pathogenicity for the shoots of the chosen species of shrubs. The test was conducted for 14 days in a chamber with parameters so programmed that they reflected the natural conditions at the height of the growing season. The fungus A. alternata exhibited pathogenicity for all of the tested species of shrubs. Necrosis developed on all the inoculated fragments of shoots. The surface area of necrotic lesions was larger on the shoots of juniper and blueberry.

<italic>Alternaria alternata</italic> – the main causal agent of disease symptoms in juniper, rose, yew and highbush blueberry in nurseries in southern Poland

Department of Plant Protecion, Faculty of Biotechnology and Horticulture

Folia Horticulturae

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 License.

 – the main causal agent of disease symptoms in juniper, rose, yew and highbush blueberry in nurseries in southern Poland

Symptoms of discoloration and necrosis of the leaves/needles and shoots of plants are an increasingly common phenomenon in nurseries. They necessitate the...

Alternaria alternata – the main causal agent of disease symptoms in juniper, rose, yew and highbush blueberry in nurseries in southern Poland

Published Online: Jun 19, 2018

Page range: 15 - 25

Received: Oct 17, 2017

Accepted: Dec 05, 2017

DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/fhort-2018-0002

Keywords
DNA, pathogenicity

© 2018 Małgorzata Nadziakiewicz et al., published by Sciendo

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 License.

Alternaria alternata – the main causal agent of disease symptoms in juniper, rose, yew and highbush blueberry in nurseries in southern Poland

Published Online: Jun 19, 2018

Page range: 15 - 25

Received: Oct 17, 2017

Accepted: Dec 05, 2017

DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/fhort-2018-0002

KeywordsDNA, pathogenicity

© 2018 Małgorzata Nadziakiewicz et al., published by Sciendo

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 License.

Keywords
DNA, pathogenicity