Eucalypts Are Susceptible to the Chestnut Blight Fungus, Cryphonectria Parasitica

Abstract

Eucalyptus camaldulensis, E. haemastoma, E, microcorys, E. punctata and E. robusta grown in greenhouses in Japan were susceptible to infection by Cryphonectria parasitica, syn. Endothia parasitica. A Cryphonectria sp. found on Eucalyptus in central Honshu was morphologically identical to C. parasitica and caused cankers on the five eucalypts and Castanea crenata. Endothiella, the anamorph of Cryphonectria. spp, and Endothia spp., was found on eucalypts in four field locations in Honshu. The evidence suggests that eucalypts are infected in the field by C. parasitica in Japan. Accidental introduction of the chestnut blight fungus into Australia could have serious consequences for the health of native eucalypts, in addition to causing disease of cultivated chestnuts.