Cylindrocladium buxicola is threatening the native Buxus sempervirens populations in Turkey – short communication

Abstract

Cylindrocladium buxicola is a fungal pathogen of Buxus spp. in Turkey; the pathogen was first noted in 2011 on the native populations of B. sempervirens in forests in Trabzon in the Black Sea region. Surveys conducted in November 2012 revealed a devastating impact of the pathogen on natural B. sempervirens populations, in which the trees were either dead or severely defoliated. The epidemic had spread 3–25 km along the river valleys near the Black Sea coast. Similar river valleys further inland were still free of infection or showed only the very first signs of arrival of the epidemic. The disease has recently been found also in nurseries. All isolates tested belonged to the G1 clade.