Evaluation of Some Cultural Characteristics in the Diagnosis of Leucostoma spp. Isolates Collected from Cherries in the Aegean Region, Turkey

Leucostoma canker is one of the important diseases of cherry that causes widespread tree death. The disease is caused by different Leucostomaspecies, each of which has its own certain distinctive cultural characteristics. The objective of this study is to evaluate some cultural charateristics of Leucostomaspp. isolates collected from cherries in different provinces of the Aegean Region on the behalf of the diagnosis at the species level. Under this objective, a total of 150 Leucostomaisolates which were collected from the cherry orchards in ？zmir, Manisa, Afyon, Denizli and Ayd？n Provinces were evaluated for their mycelial growth, colony color and shape, picnidia size and ability to grow at 33oC and 37oC. Considering the overall results for cultural characteristics, the isolates were divided in to four groups. Some of the culturel characterisitics of the isolates corresponded with L. cinctawhile some others matched with L. persooniiso that the diagnosis at the species level cannot be accomplished. It has been suggested that molecular diagnosis methods should be considered to obtain more reliable for species identification