First report of Phytophthora plurivora causing collar rot on common alder in Spain
Mr. Mohammed Masum Ul Haque, Mr. Pablo Martínez-Álvarez, Mr. José María Lomba, Dr. Jorge Martín-García, and Prof. Julio Javier Diez
Phytophthora decline of riparian alder (Alnus spp.) has been reported in several European countries. Death of common alder (Alnus glutinosa) due to Phytophthora alni has also been reported in Spain. During several surveys of alder trees in September 2012, typical die-back symptoms, including sparse small yellowish foliage and the presence of rusty exudates on the bark at the collar and lower stem were observed in A.glutinosa growing on the banks of the river Tera (Langa de Duero, Soria, 41°36′34″N, 3°25′10″W, elevation 851 m) and the river Tormes (La Maya, Salamanca, 40°41′42″N, 5°35′36″W, elevation 833 m). Bark samples plus cambium were taken from the active lesions at collar region, cut into small pieces, dried on filter paper and plated on V8-PARPH agar. The samples were incubated for four days at 20 °C in the dark before obtaining the Phytophthora isolates.