Bua Cristian, Tambè Maria Catena, Conti Taguali Sebastiano, Riolo Mario, Vitale Alessandro, Pane Antonella, Cacciola Santa Olga
Department of Agriculture, Food and Environment, University of Catania, Via S. Sofia 100, 95123 Catania, Italy.
Plants (Basel). 2025 Apr 28;14(9):1333. doi: 10.3390/plants14091333.
Citruses are one of the major fruit crops globally. Among Mediterranean citrus producers, Sicily (southern Italy) is renowned for its high-quality fresh fruit production. Phytophthora diseases are a serious issue for citrus production worldwide and is a prevalent causal agent of root rot in most citrus growing areas globally and particularly in the Mediterranean region. This study reports the occurrence of as a root pathogen of declining mature citrus trees in eastern Sicily in association with . This is the first record of on citrus in Europe and the Mediterranean region. The species was identified on the basis of a morphology and multi-gene phylogenetic analysis, which included the internal transcribed spacer, β-tubulin and cytochrome c oxidase subunit 1. Pathogenicity tests on citrus saplings showed was a less aggressive pathogen than . However, the co-inoculation of both species produced more severe symptoms than inoculation with a single species, indicating an additive effect of these two pathogens and suggesting that opportunistic secondary pathogens like may have a crucial role in complex diseases.
柑橘是全球主要的水果作物之一。在地中海柑橘生产国中，西西里岛（意大利南部）以其高品质的新鲜水果生产而闻名。疫霉病是全球柑橘生产中的一个严重问题，是全球大多数柑橘种植区，特别是地中海地区根部腐烂的常见致病因子。本研究报告了在西西里岛东部作为成熟柑橘树衰退的根部病原体与[具体内容缺失]的发生情况。这是该物种在欧洲和地中海地区柑橘上的首次记录。该物种是基于形态学和多基因系统发育分析鉴定的，分析包括内转录间隔区、β-微管蛋白和细胞色素c氧化酶亚基1。对柑橘幼树的致病性测试表明，[具体物种缺失]是一种比[对比物种缺失]攻击性较弱的病原体。然而，两种物种共同接种产生的症状比单一物种接种更严重，表明这两种病原体具有累加效应，这表明像[具体物种缺失]这样的机会性次生病原体可能在复杂病害中起关键作用。
