Branch canker and dieback of Meryta denhamii caused by Neofusicoccum parvum and Neoscytalidium dimidiatum in Italy

A recent survey conducted in the historical botanical garden Villa Caronia, Sicily, identified the causal organisms of branch cankers and dieback on a mature Meryta denhamii. Laboratory isolations and sequencing of three loci, namely ITS, tef1-α, and tub2, showed the presence of two species belonging to Botryosphaeriaceae, including Neofusicoccum parvum and Neoscytalidium dimidiatum. Pathogenicity tests confirmed that these species are able to induce canker symptoms on this host. To our knowledge, this is the first report, worldwide, of N. parvum and Ne. dimidiatum causing branch canker and dieback on M. denhamii.