Phytopathology (2009) 99, 651-658

D. Prodorutti, T. Vanblaere, D. Gobbin, A. Pellegrini, C. Gessler and I. Pertot (2009)
Genetic diversity of Armillaria spp. infecting highbush blueberry in northern Italy (Trentino Region)
Phytopathology 99 (6), 651-658
Abstract: Armillaria spp. are the causal agents of root rots of several woody plants, including highbush blueberry. Since 2003, highbush blueberry plants infected by Armillaria spp. have been found in Valsugana Valley, Trentino region, northern Italy. Our aim was to identify the Armillaria spp. involved in these infections, as well as possible sources of inoculum in blueberry fields. Samples of Armillaria spp. were collected from diseased blueberry plants in 13 infected blueberry fields, from bark spread along the blueberry rows, from infected trees in the vicinity of the fields, and from four forest locations. The identification of Armillaria spp. was accomplished using a species-specific multiplex polymerase chain reaction method and by sequencing the rDNA at a specific locus. The differentiation between genotypes was performed by using simple-sequence repeat analysis. Armillaria mellea and A. gallica were the most frequently observed species infecting blueberry in the Valsugana Valley. Three to eight Armillaria genotypes were identified in each blueberry field. No individual genotypes were found in more than one blueberry field. Two-thirds of the genotypes found colonizing trees in the immediate vicinity of infected fields and two-thirds of the genotypes found colonizing the bark spread in blueberry rows were also isolated from blueberry plants in the field, indicating that bark used as mulch and infected trees surrounding the fields may be important sources of inoculum.
(The abstract is excluded from the Creative Commons licence and has been copied with permission by the publisher.)
Full text of article
Database assignments for author(s): Daniele Prodorutti, Alberto Pellegrini, Ilaria Pertot, Cesare Gessler, Davide Gobbin

Research topic(s) for pests/diseases/weeds:
molecular biology - genes
surveys/sampling/distribution

---

Pest and/or beneficial records:

Beneficial	Pest/Disease/Weed	Crop/Product	Country	Quarant.
	Armillaria mellea	Blueberry/cranberry (Vaccinium)	Italy
	Armillaria gallica	Blueberry/cranberry (Vaccinium)	Italy