Markovskaja, S., Kačergius, A., Treigienė, A.
Occurrence of new alien pathogenic fungus Mycosphaerella dearnessii in Lithuania [Naujas svetimžemis patogeninis grybas Mycosphaerella dearnessii Lietuvoje]
Santrauka In 2009, Lecanosticta acicola, an anamorphic stage of pathogenic ascomycetous fungus Mycosphaerella dearnessii, causing foliage disease of pines known as brown spot needle blight has been for the first time reported in Lithuania. This alien fungus was found in Pinus mugo plantations in the Curonian Spit (western Lithuania). During detailed investigations in 2009 and 2010, only anamorphic stage was found on heavily damaged needles; teleomorph was not observed. The fungus was identified by both morphological characters and molecular PCR-based methods. Information on the distribution, taxonomy, morphology and ecology of this needle pathogen is provided.