Sweet chestnut Castanea sativa Mill. is an introduced species in the Czech Republic. It is recorded roughly from 300 localities. To the end of 2002, the occurrence of chestnut was verified at about 140 macrolocalities. The most northern locality recorded so far was Choustníkovo Hradiště in the region of Hradec Králové. Chestnuts occur generally to an altitude of 500 m (80% of all examined localities), at higher altitudes they suffer from climatic extremes particularly late frosts. The occurrence of chestnut was recorded at 27 localities (ca. 20% localities under investigation) where altitudes exceed 500 m. The highest location of chestnut is locality Nejdek, Karlovy Vary District where chestnut trees thrive at an altitude of 678 m. At altitudes over 600 m, two other localities were recorded. The health condition of chestnut is relatively good. At some localities, however, crown drying occurs as a result of not quite ideal climatic conditions. Within our research, quarantine Cryphonectria parasitica (Murr.) Barr. was determined for the first time in the Czech Republic at the only examined locality.
This study provides new information on the distribution of the chestnut blight agent Cryphonectria parasitica and its vegetative compatibility groups (VCGs) in the Czech Republic. This study has revealed the presence of the disease in six localities. The VCG tests showed that each locality was represented by a single distinct VCG, which was different from the others collected in the country. The tests with 31 European testers of C. parasitica VCGs (EU-1 to EU-31) had assigned Czech isolates to VCGs EU-1, EU-4, EU-12, EU-13, EU-15, and EU-19. Moreover, the study showed that in the Czech Republic chestnut blight attacks young trees, not exceeding 35 years of age, and that climatic conditions in the country are suitable for C. parasitica. As two of the diseased localities were ornamental tree nurseries, one might expect its further spread over the country as a result of plant trade. The origin of infection remains unknown in all the localities where C. parasitica was detected.
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