''Ceratocystis platani'' is a

fungus A fungus (: fungi , , , or ; or funguses) is any member of the group of eukaryotic organisms that includes microorganisms such as yeasts and mold (fungus), molds, as well as the more familiar mushrooms. These organisms are classified as one ...

that causes a disease on plane trees in the genus ''

Platanus ''Platanus'' ( ) is a genus consisting of a small number of tree species native to the Northern Hemisphere. They are the sole living members of the family Platanaceae. All mature members of ''Platanus'' are tall, reaching in height. The type ...

'', mostly in North America and Southern Europe.

Description

''Ceratocystis platani'' is believed to be native to southeastern USA. The fungus was previously considered to be part of the '' Ceratocystis fimbriata'' species complex as ''Ceratocystis fimbriata'' f. ''platani''.Rapid Pest Risk Analysis for Ceratocystis platani
, FERA, retrieved 27 February 2014 It was elevated to the level of species in 2005.

Canker stain

''Ceratocystis platani'' causes a disease in plane trees known as "Canker stain of plane" (UK English) or "Canker of sycamore" (US English). The disease is caused by the phytotoxin cerato-platanin, which occurs in the cell wall of ''C. platani'', as well as other Dikarya, and is involved in molecular fungus-host interactions. Oriental plane (''

Platanus orientalis ''Platanus orientalis'', the Oriental plane, is a large, deciduous tree in the family Platanaceae, growing to or more, and known for its longevity and spreading crown. In autumn its deep green leaves may change to blood red, amber, and yellow. ...

'') is considered highly susceptible to the fungus; American sycamore (''

Platanus occidentalis ''Platanus occidentalis'', also known as American sycamore, American planetree, western plane, occidental plane, buttonwood, and water beech, is a species of ''Platanus'' native to the eastern and central United States, the mountains of northeast ...

'') probably coevolved with the fungus and is relatively resistant, while the hybrid London plane (''

Platanus × hispanica The London plane, or sometimes hybrid plane, ''Platanus'' × ''hispanica'', is a tree in the genus ''Platanus''. It is often known by the synonym ''Platanus'' × ''acerifolia'', a later name. It is a hybrid of '' Platanus orientalis'' ...

'') is generally intermediate in resistance between its parents.Ceratocystis platani (fungus)
, ''issg Database'': Ecology of ''Ceratocystis platani'', retrieved 27 February 2014 The fungus is a wound parasite which rapidly infects plane trees, causing disruption of water movement, cankers and eventually death. Cankers on the tree trunk are characterised by necrosis of inner bark and bluish-black to reddish-brown discolouration of sapwood. The disease can cause sudden death of a portion of the crown, and trees of 30–40 cm diameter may die within 2–3 years of infection.

North America

The disease was first reported in the USA in 1935 affecting ''

''. In subsequent years the disease was reported in most Atlantic seaboard states. It was subsequently observed in plantations and in natural forests of ''

''. The disease has also been reported in California. In

Philadelphia Philadelphia ( ), colloquially referred to as Philly, is the List of municipalities in Pennsylvania, most populous city in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania and the List of United States cities by population, sixth-most populous city in the Unit ...

the disease had killed 10,000 out of a total 150,000 trees by 1945. In Gloucester, New Jersey, 87% of London planes had died by 1949.

Europe and the Near East

The disease was first found in Europe in

Marseille Marseille (; ; see #Name, below) is a city in southern France, the Prefectures in France, prefecture of the Departments of France, department of Bouches-du-Rhône and of the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur Regions of France, region. Situated in the ...

, France, in 1945, and is believed to have been transported there by US troops during

Operation Dragoon Operation Dragoon (initially Operation Anvil), known as Débarquement de Provence in French ("Provence Landing"), was the code name for the landing operation of the Allies of World War II, Allied invasion of Provence (Southern France) on 15Augu ...

towards the end of

World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

. The pathogen is now present in most of

Italy Italy, officially the Italian Republic, is a country in Southern Europe, Southern and Western Europe, Western Europe. It consists of Italian Peninsula, a peninsula that extends into the Mediterranean Sea, with the Alps on its northern land b ...

. It has also been reported in

Spain Spain, or the Kingdom of Spain, is a country in Southern Europe, Southern and Western Europe with territories in North Africa. Featuring the Punta de Tarifa, southernmost point of continental Europe, it is the largest country in Southern Eur ...

Switzerland Switzerland, officially the Swiss Confederation, is a landlocked country located in west-central Europe. It is bordered by Italy to the south, France to the west, Germany to the north, and Austria and Liechtenstein to the east. Switzerland ...

Greece Greece, officially the Hellenic Republic, is a country in Southeast Europe. Located on the southern tip of the Balkan peninsula, it shares land borders with Albania to the northwest, North Macedonia and Bulgaria to the north, and Turkey to th ...

Iran Iran, officially the Islamic Republic of Iran (IRI) and also known as Persia, is a country in West Asia. It borders Iraq to the west, Turkey, Azerbaijan, and Armenia to the northwest, the Caspian Sea to the north, Turkmenistan to the nort ...

, and

Armenia Armenia, officially the Republic of Armenia, is a landlocked country in the Armenian Highlands of West Asia. It is a part of the Caucasus region and is bordered by Turkey to the west, Georgia (country), Georgia to the north and Azerbaijan to ...

. In Italy and the south-east of France the disease has caused serious losses. In Marseille, where the first phase of infection started in 1945, 1850 Plane trees were killed between 1960 and 1972 (about 13% of the initial population). At

Forte dei Marmi Forte dei Marmi () is an Italian sea town and ''comune'' located in the province of Lucca, in northern Tuscany, overlooking the Ligurian Sea. Tourism is the principal activity of Forte dei Marmi's citizens. The population of the town, amounting to ...

, one of the oldest infection centres in Italy, 90% of all plane trees died of the disease in the twenty-year period from 1972-1991. ''Ceratocystis platani'' was first detected in Greece in 2003. Since then, hundreds of dead and dying trees have been found along streams and rivers in southwestern Greece, and many ornamental trees have died in residential and recreational areas. In 2006 ''C. platani'' was identified as the cause of plane tree death along the

Canal du Midi The Canal du Midi (; ) is a long canal in Southern France (). Originally named the ''Canal Royal en Languedoc'' (Royal Canal in Languedoc) and renamed by French revolutionaries to ''Canal du Midi'' in 1789, the canal is considered one of the g ...

, a UNESCO world heritage site in France. The canal is lined with around 42,000 plane trees and up to 2011, around 2,500 trees had been felled, destroyed and replaced with disease-resistant planes.

References

External links

{{Taxonbar, from=Q10445905 Fungal tree pathogens and diseases Microascales Fungi described in 1951 Fungi of Europe Fungi of North America Fungus species