2026/07/27 by Giorgio GUSELLA, Chiara CATALANO, Bassma EL BAKKOURI +6
paper · doi:10.36253/phyto-17230
Citrus trees are important for fruit production, and canker pathogens can be constraints to tree productivity. In Italy, field surveys showed presence of different pathogens causing trunk and branch cankers, gummoses and shoot blight. Among these pathogens, Neofusicoccum parvum is aggressive and widely distributed. Susceptibility of 47 Citrus genotypes was assessed using detached twig assays and an in planta assessment. The detached twig assay identified mandarin as the most susceptible variety (mean lesion length = 3.80 cm), followed by citrumelo ‘Swingle’ (2.83 cm), and lemons (2.47 cm), whereas grapefruits (1.34 cm) and citrons (1.76 cm) had greatest levels of tolerance. These results were consistent with those obtained in the in planta assay, in which grapefruits showed greatest tolerance (mean lesion length = 1.24 cm), while the lemon cultivars ‘Monachello’ (7.32 cm) and ‘Femminello Siracusano 2Kr’ (6.48 cm) were confirmed as the most susceptible genotypes. This study provides the first overview assessment of susceptibility of different Citrus species to infection by N. parvum.