Fungal trunk diseases of fruit trees in Europe: pathogens, spread and future directions

Production from crops of pome, stone fruit, nut, berry citrus, grapevine, and olive is increasingly threatened by fungal trunk diseases (FTD). These the consequent production losses are major problems. Many fungi (including Botryosphaeriaceae, Calosphaeriaceae, Diaporthaceae, Diatrypaceae, Nectriaceae, Phaeomoniellaceae, Pleosporaceae, Togniniaceae, Valsaceae) infect host wood, mainly through wounds subsequent colonization woody tissues, causing symptoms such as cankers, gummosis, wood rotting, blight dieback. Propagative plant material, seedlings fruit play a significant role in pathogen spread. Several abiotic factors (e.g. shifts cultural practices climate change) involved disease development. This paper reviews recent literature on FTD crops, particularly focusing European status occurrence. Case studies described related to apple, berry, nut trees. Aspects epidemiology increase incidence along with future perspectives research also discussed.