First report of Fusarium avenaceum causing branch canker on pear in Turkey

Abstract

Pear (Pyrus communis) is an important fruit crop in Turkey. In May 2021, canker lesions were observed in pruning wounds on approximately 70% of the pear trees cultivar Deveci in a fve-year-old orchard in Bursa province, Turkey. Disease symptoms were twig blight, brownish bark and branch canker. Twenty small pieces from branch lesions were surface disinfected with 1% NaOCl solution for 3 min and placed on potato dextrose agar. Petri dishes were incubated for 10 days at 23 °C. All colonies were Fusarium-like with the production of a yellow to rose pigment and a dark pink to red reverse with abundant white aerial mycelium.