First report of Ceratocystis ficicola, a pathogen of Ficus carica, in Greece and the EPPO region
In Greece, fig trees (Ficus carica) showing wilting symptoms and extensive crown defoliation were observed in 2018 in two neighbouring orchards in the municipality of Markopoulo Mesogaias, Attica region. In the affected orchards, tree mortality was also observed. A Ceratocystis species was isolated from diseased trees and its morphological characteristics were similar to those of Ceratocystis ficicola, a fungus which was first described in Japan in 2011 causing a severe disease of fig trees. In Greece, further studies were conducted in 2019 and 2020 and C. ficicola was isolated from symptomatic fig trees at four distinct localities (villages) in the municipality of Aidipsos, on the Euboea Island. On this island, severe damage and tree mortality was observed. In particular, in a young orchard (6 ha), approximately 40 to 50% of the trees were dead or dying three years after their plantation, on a plot which had not previously been used for fig tree cultivation. This observation strongly suggests that human activities are playing an important role in the disease spread.
The identity of the fungus was confirmed by morphological and molecular methods. In inoculation experiments, Greek isolates were found to be pathogenic to F. carica, and to a lesser extent to F. benjamina. C. ficicola was consistently isolated from infected F. carica wood and rhizosphere soil. The origin of the disease in Greece is unknown, but most probably results from an accidental introduction either from Japan or another unknown source. This is the first time that C. ficicola is reported from Greece and from the EPPO region.
The authors consider that this fungus may represent a serious threat to fig-producing countries around the Mediterranean Basin and that efforts should be made to avoid its further spread via infected planting material or contaminated soil.
The situation of Ceratocystis ficicola in Greece can be described as follows: Present, not widely distributed (Attica and Euboea Island).
Sources
Tsopelas P, Soulioti N, Wingfield MJ, Barnes I, Marincowitz S, Tjamos EC, Paplomatas EJ (2021) Ceratocystis ficicola causing a serious disease of Ficus carica in Greece. Phytopathologia Mediterranea 60(2), 337-349. https://doi.org/10.36253/phyto-12794
Kajitani Y, Masuya H (2011) Ceratocystis ficicola sp. nov., a causal fungus of fig canker in Japan. Mycoscience 52, 349–353.
Personal communication with Eris Tjamos (Professor Emeritus in Plant Pathology, at the Agricultural University of Athens, 2022-01).