Vol. 57 No. 2 (2018)
Research Papers

Diaporthe as the main cause of hazelnut defects in the Caucasus region

Paola BATTILANI
University of Piacenza
Giorgio CHIUSA
Department of Sustainable Crop Production, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Piacenza, Italy
Roberta ARCIUOLO
Department of Sustainable Crop Production, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Piacenza, Italy
Marco SOMENZI
SOREMARTEC ITALIA S.r.l., Alba (CN), Italy
Mauro FONTANA
SOREMARTEC ITALIA S.r.l., Alba (CN), Italy
Giuseppe CASTELLO
SOREMARTEC ITALIA S.r.l., Alba (CN), Italy
Nicola SPIGOLON
SOREMARTEC ITALIA S.r.l., Alba (CN), Italy

Published 2018-09-17

Keywords

  • Fungi,
  • Corylus avellana,
  • rot,
  • meteorological data

How to Cite

[1]
P. BATTILANI, “Diaporthe as the main cause of hazelnut defects in the Caucasus region”, Phytopathol. Mediterr., vol. 57, no. 2, pp. 320–333, Sep. 2018.

Abstract

Production of hazelnuts is affected by defects, the incidence of which is year-dependent but also economically damaging. The objectives of the present study were to quantify the incidence of different fungal genera in hazelnuts, and define the causal agent/agents of nut defects. A 4-year study (2013 to 2016) was carried out in the Caucasus region, in an orchard planted in 2008 with hazelnut cv. Anakliuri. Hazelnuts were sampled at early and full ripening stages, observed for defects, and then associated fungi were isolated. Nuts with necrotic spots and internal browning were commonly found, and some collected in 2016 were completely rotted, wet and almost black. Alternaria, Aspergillus, Cladosporium, Colletotrichum, Diaporthe, Fusarium, Penicillium, Pestalotiopsis and Phoma spp. were regularly isolated from diseased and symptomless nuts. Diaporthe spp. was the dominant genus, with increasing incidence from early to full ripening, and were more isolated from defected compared to healthy kernels and in the years with the greatest incidence of defects. Rainfall was associated with the incidence of nut defects. The role of Diaporthe as a key cause hazelnut defects was confirmed by pathogenicity tests. Three isolates from the Diaporthe population were identified as D. eres on the basis of EF, ACT, TUB and ITS loci. This supports the crucial role of climate during the crop-growing season for the development of defects in hazelnuts caused by Diaporthe.

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