Gibberella circinata occurs in the Republic of Korea
In the Republic of Korea, the occurrence of pitch canker caused by Gibberella circinata (anamorph Fusarium circinatum – EPPO A1 List) was identified causing dieback on Pinus rigida in Incheon city in the mid-1990s. P. rigida was introduced into South Korea from Japan in 1907 and was planted across the country from the 1960s to the 1980s for reforestation, soil stabilization and to reduce the impacts of floods. Pitch canker is now common in forest plantations of P. rigida, in managed landscapes on P. thunbergii (e.g. on golf courses), in urban forests and seed orchards of P. rigida and P. taeda x P. rigida hybrids. However, the disease remains uncommon in nurseries. It is reported that thousands of P. rigida, P. taeda x P. rigida hybrids and P. thunbergii have been infected and killed by G. circinata, mainly in the western part of Korea. The EPPO Secretariat had previously no data on the occurrence of G. circinata in this country.
The situation of Gibberella circinata in the Republic of Korea can be described as follows: Present, first detected in the mid-1990s. Mainly found in the western part of Korea in urban and forest plantations (rarely in nurseries).
Sources
Kim YS, Woo KS, Koo YB, Yeo JK (2008) Variation in susceptibility of six pine species and hybrids to pitch canker caused by Fusarium circinatum. Forest Pathology 38(6), 419-428.