Abstract:
Extensive die-back andmortality of various
ornamental trees and shrubs has been observed in parts
of the Western Balkans region during the past decade.
The disease symptomshave been typical of those caused
by pathogens residing in the Botryosphaeriaceae. The
aims of this study were to isolate and characterize
Botryosphaeriaceae species associated with diseased
ornamental trees in Serbia, Montenegro, Bosnia and
Herzegovina. Isolates were initially characterized based
on the DNA sequence data for the internal transcribed
spacer rDNA and six major clades were identified.
Representative isolates from each clade were further
characterized using DNA sequence data for the translation
elongation factor 1-alpha, b-tubulin-2 and large
subunit rRNA gene regions, as well as the morphology of the asexualmorphs.Ten species of theBotryosphaeriaceae
were identified of which eight, i.e., Dothiorella
sarmentorum, Neofusicoccum parvum, Botryosphaeria
dothidea, Phaeobotryon cupressi, Sphaeropsis visci,
Diplodia seriata, D. sapinea and D. mutila were known
taxa. The remaining two species could be identified only
as Dothiorella spp. Dichomera syn-asexual morphs of
D. sapinea, Dothiorella sp. 2 and B. dothidea, aswell as
unique morphological characters for a number of the
known species are described. Based on host plants and
geographic distribution, the majority of Botryosphaeriaceae
species found represent new records. The results
of this study contribute to our knowledge of the
distribution, host associations and impacts of these
fungi on trees in urban environments.
