First Report of Chalara fraxinea on Common Ash in Italy

In many European countries, the anamorphic Chalara fraxinea Kowalski (teleom. Hymenoscyphus albidus [Roberge ex Desm.] Phillips) is responsible for a severe and rapidly spreading dieback of Common ash (Fraxinus excelsior L.) since it was first reported in Poland. Recently, this disease was added to the EPPO Alert list and the NAPPO Phytosanitary Alert System. To our knowledge, this is the first report of C. fraxinea in Italy. Investigations on its presence in all Fraxinus species naturally growing both in the investigated area and in the nearest regions are in progress.