Dothistroma Needle Blight in protected pine forests in Italy

Si riportano i risultati di un lavoro di sorveglianza fitopatologica della presenza di Dothistroma needle blight sul territorio italiano basato sui protocolli PCR raccomandati dalle autorità fitosanitarie europee. La presenza di Dothistroma septosporum è stata rilevata su varie specie di pino autoctone in boschi naturali in Calabria e in Trentino Alto Adige, estendendo così la distribuzione del patogeno nota in Europa, mentre Dothistroma pini non è stato rilevato. I danni causati da D. septosporum appaiono gravi e il patogeno minaccia localmente la sopravvivenza e rinnovazione di alcune popolazioni di specie autoctone, come pino cembro e pino laricio, rilevanti per la conservazione delle risorse genetiche. / Species-specific real time PCR diagnostics, recommended by EPPO, was applied to needle samples collected throughout Italy from sites where symptoms alike Dothistroma needle blight were observed on pine trees. The presence of Dothistroma septosporum was ascertained at sites in Calabria and Trentino Alto Adige, while Dothistroma pini was not detected. Species attribution was confirmed by sequencing. Results show that D. septosporum currently has in Italy a larger distribution and host range than reported and is associated to life-threatening damage to native pine species growing in established populations for in situ conservation of genetic resources, which would require an update of specific conservation actions.