Diseases of eucalypts in the central and northern provinces of Mozambique

Abstract

In the mid-1970s, Mozambique embarked on several forestry projects to promote and establish large plantation areas with eucalypt trees. The planted species included Corymbia citriodora, Eucalyptus camaldulensis, E. saligna and E. tereticornis. Similar to other regions of the world, pests and pathogens pose a significant threat to eucalypt plantations in Mozambique, but little is known regarding the diseases of trees in the country. The aim of this study was to provide the first detailed consideration of the possible disease problems affecting plantation- grown eucalypt species in the central and northern provinces of Mozambique. Isolates of fungal pathogens were obtained from material displaying disease symptoms collected during two field surveys conducted in 2010 and 2011. Representative fungal isolates were identified using DNA sequence data. Stem canker diseases caused by fungi in the Botryosphaeriaceae, Cryphonectriaceae and Teratosphaeriaceae, as well as leaf spots caused by species of Calonectria, Pilidiella, Pilidium and Phakopsora myrtacearum were commonly encountered. Their relative importance to the future of planation forestry in Mozambique is discussed.