Recovery and pathogenicity of Phytophthora species associated with a resurgence of ink disease in Castanea sativa in Italy

Abstract

Three species of Phytophthora, P. cambivora, P. citricola and P. cactorum, were found to be associated with a recent outbreak of ink disease causing high mortality of chestnut trees in central Italy. Phytophthora cambivora was isolated from 11·6% of the soil samples taken around symptomatic trees, and was mainly associated with heavily diseased trees. It was the most aggressive species to Castanea sativa, but survived poorly in the soil. Phytophthora citricola and P. cactorum showed a limited ability to induce disease on chestnut, but could be recovered from soil during most of the year. A fourth species, P. gonapodyides, was recovered only from mud of stream beds within the chestnut stands. Involvement of these species in the development of disease is discussed.

Occurrence of Phytophthora multivora and Phytophthora plurivora in the Czech Republic

“…In comparison with other inoculation experiments (e.g. Werres 1995;Vettraino et al 2001;Fleischmann et al 2002Fleischmann et al , 2004Holub et al 2010), however, the aggressiveness of P. multivora to forest trees might be at a level similar to that of P. cactorum or P. cambivora. Therefore, P. multivora may also pose a potential risk to European forests, at least in Central and Mediterranean Europe, because the examined oak forest in South Moravia was highly affected by this species.…”

Genetic variation in susceptibility to Phytophthora Cambivora in European chestnut (Castanea sativa)

“…According to Grente (1961), every chestnut growing area in France had been infected by 1960. Recently, a dramatic resurgence of the disease, causing a high mortality rate, has been reported in different areas of Europe, especially Portugal, Italy and France Fleisch, 2002;Robin et al, 1994;Vettraino et al, 2001). Nowadays P. cinnamomi and P. cambivora are present from Greece to Great Britain Vettraino et al, 2005).…”

Touchdown nested multiplex PCR detection of Phytophthora cinnamomi and P. cambivora from French and English chestnut grove soils

“…By the 1960's Grente considered every chestnut growing area in France to be infected (Grente 1961). Recently, a dramatic resurgence of the disease, causing a high mortality rate, has been reported from different areas of Europe, especially in Spain, Portugal, Italy, and France (Artaza 1949; Barriety et al 1951;Abreu 1996;Anselmi et al 1996;Vettraino et al 2001Vettraino et al , 2005Fleisch 2002; Robin et al 2006) with the incidence of both P. cinnamomi and P. cambivora being reported from Greece across to Great Britain Vettraino et al 2005).…”

“…Economic losses due to the disease are varied, depending on the chestnut varieties and on climatic conditions. Infection by P. cinnamomi or P. cambivora causes variable loss of yield, depending on climatic conditions and can limit the establishment of new groves or make existing plantations uneconomic, often resulting in their abandonment or entire removal (Peace 1962;Vettraino et al 2001;Vettraino et al 2005). Mapping their incidence and distribution from nursery and plantation soils may offer valuable information for limiting spread, especially by commercial routes, and may help form the basis of possible integrative control management strategies.…”