Monitoring of the health status of Castanea sativa in the Belasitsa mountain, southwest Bulgaria

By

Georgieva, Margarita
Georgiev, Georgi
Mirchev, Plamen
Filipova, Eva
Matova, Maria
Belilov, Sevdalin
Madzhov, Svetozar
Hristova, Mihaela

Type

Article

Date of Publication

2023-12-28

Original Publication

Silva Balcanica

Volume

24

Series / Issue

Issue: 3

Pages

35--42

Subjects

Belasitsa mountain , Cryphonectria parasitica , monitoring of health status , Sweet chestnut

Contributed by

Pensoft Publishers

Language

English

Published by

Sofia, Bulgaria Forest Research Institute - Bulgarian Academy of Sciences (FRI-BAS) [2001]-

Identifiers

DOI: https://doi.org/10.3897/silvabalcanica.24.e116036

 

Abstract

In the period 2017-2023, a survey for the assessment of the phytosanitary condition of sweet chestnut (Castanea sativa) was conducted in a permanent sample plot (PSP) Belasitsa, which is part of the European large-scale network for monitoring the health status of forest ecosystems under the International Co-operative Program ‘Forests’. The PSP is set in a natural chestnut stand in Belasitsa mountain at an altitude of 643 m. Data collected from the first years of the monitoring determined a slight deterioration in the health status of the chestnut trees caused by an infection with the fungal pathogen Cryphonectria parasitica. An improvement in trees’ vitality and lack of active necrosis were observed in 2022-2023. On the wounds, initiation of callus along the wounded edges was reported. Currently, the introduction of new and dangerous invasive insect pests Dryocosmus kuriphilus, Corythucha arcuata, etc., has not been detected. Attacks of both pests could further deteriorate the health status of the sweet chestnut in Belasitsa.