Infection of cherry trees and production of a toxin that causes foliar silvering by different isolates of Chondrostereum purpureum

Abstract

The susceptibility of pruned sapwood of cherry trees to invasion by basidiospores of Chondrostereum purpureum from several different sources was investigated. The results showed that spores from sources other than cherry are just as effective as spores from cherry in inducing silver leaf disease in cherry trees.

The isolates did, however, differ in the amount of silvering of the foliage that they caused. Toxin production by the isolates was compared, and it was found that the isolate from broom (Teline monspessulana) which gave no foliar symptoms produced significantly less toxin than the other isolates of C. purpureum that were tested.