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PHYTOPATHOLOGIA MEDITERRANEA, vol.64, no.2, pp.205-218, 2025 (SCI-Expanded, Scopus)
Apricot (Prunus armeniaca L.) is an important and widely grown fruit crop in Türkiye. In the last 15 years, symptoms of branch dieback and gummosis have been observed in commercial apricot orchards. A survey conducted in 2015 across 44 apri cot orchards in the Adana and Mersin provinces revealed consistent infections caused by Botryosphaeriaceae fungi. From symptomatic branch samples (n = 232), a total of 128 fungal isolates with botryosphaeriaceous morphology were recovered, represent ing an incidence of 55.2%. Preliminary morphological identifications suggested the presence of three species. Representative isolates from each morphological group were identified as Diplodia seriata (n = 10), Neofusicoccum parvum (n = 7), and Lasiodiplo dia mediterranea (n = 1), based on phylogenetic analyses of nucleotide sequences from the ribosomal DNA internal transcribed spacer, beta-tubulin and translation elonga tion factor 1-alpha genes. Mycelium growth rates were different among the three spe cies, and the optimal growth temperatures were estimated as 26.2°C for D. seriata, 27.4°C for N. parvum, and 28.9°C for L. mediterranea. Pathogenicity of the identified fungi was confirmed on 2-year-old ‘Tyrinthe’ apricot seedlings, with L. mediterranea being the most virulent, followed by D. seriata, and N. parvum. This is the first report of D. seriata, N. parvum, and L. mediterranea causing branch dieback and gummosis of apricot in Türkiye.