TreeBASE Search-Analyses for study 18021

@ARTICLE{TreeBASE2Ref24928, author = {Antonio Deidda and Franco Buffa and Benedetto T Linaldeddu and Claudia Pinna and Bruno Scanu and Vitale Deiana and Alberto Satta and Antonio Franceschini and Ignazio Floris}, title = {Emerging pests and diseases threaten Eucalyptus camaldulensis plantations in Sardinia (Italy)}, year = {2015}, keywords = {timber industries, exotic species, biosecurity, invasive pathogens and insects}, doi = {}, url = {http://}, pmid = {}, journal = {iForest}, volume = {}, number = {}, pages = {}, abstract = {Due to their rapid growth and adaptability to different environmental conditions, Eucalyptus species have been widely introduced in both hemispheres for pulpwood production. In Sardinia (Italy), eucalypt plantations were established in the 20th century primarily in areas reclaimed from marshland and subsequently all over the island where they are currently cultivated as ornamental plants, windbreaks and for honey production. In recent years, an unusual decline and mortality of unknown aetiology has been observed in eucalypt plantations throughout the island. In addition, a significant reduction of eucalypt honey yields attributed to insect damage on inflorescences was observed. Given the high ecological and economic relevance of eucalypt ecosystems, in 2013 a survey was carried out to establish insects and fungal pathogens more directly involved in these phenomena. Field surveys carried out in 12 sites throughout the island revealed the occurrence of severe infestations of the red gum lerp psyllid (Glycaspis brimblecombei) in all monitored sites. A significant increase of preimaginal stages and adults of G. brimblecombei was observed from May to July, with the peak of adults recorded in July. In contrast, the highest percentage of parasitism by its specific parasitoid Psyllaephagus bliteus was recorded two months after the peak of preimaginal and adult stage. At the same time, symptoms of leaf chlorosis, crown thinning, shoot and branch dieback, sunken cankers, epicormic shoots and exudations of Kino have been detected in all surveyed sites. Isolations from symptomatic woody samples yielded fungal isolates belonging to three distinct families, namely Botryosphaeriaceae, Diaporthaceae and Valsaceae. On the basis of morphological features and DNA sequence data (ITS), seven distinct species: Diaporthe foeniculina, Neofusicoccum australe, N. luteum, N. mediterraneum, N. parvum, N. vitifusiforme and Valsa fabianae were identified. In addition, two putative new species of Cytospora were obtained. Neofusicoccum australe was the only species recovered in all investigated sites and its isolation frequencies ranged from 51 to 95%. Pathogenicity trials on E. camaldulensis trees emphasize that all Neofusicoccum species, with the exception of N. vitifusiforme, are directly involved in the aetiology of decline symptoms observed.} }