During spring 1997 and 1998 in the area of Chalkidiki, in northern Greece, leaves of wild strawberry-tree (Arbutus unedo) were heavily spotted. Small, necrotic brown spots with light gray centers appeared on leaves, and when intense spotting was present, strong defoliation was observed. Isolations from leaves on potato dextrose agar consistently yielded a fungus that was identified as Hendersonula toruloidea (2). Pathogenicity tests on wild strawberry-tree plants were performed, yielding symptoms identical to those originally observed, and H. toruloidea was isolated consistently from inoculated leaves. No cankers appeared on the twigs of the plants, which is a consistent symptom caused by this fungus on strawberry-tree in the United States. Leaf spotting caused by H. toruloidea has been observed in Musa and Rhus spp. (1). This is the first report of H. toruloidea causing leaf spotting and defoliation of strawberry-trees in Europe.
References: (1) D. F. Farr et al. 1989. Fungi on Plants and Plant Products in the United States. The American Phytopathological Society, St. Paul, MN. (2) R. M. Nattrass. Br. Mycol. Soc. Trans. 18:189, 1945.
