The First Report of Apiognomonia errabunda in Latvia: A Case Study in European Beech

Abstract

With an occurring shift in the tree species distribution, European beech (Fagus sylvatica L.) is becoming a perspective for forestry in the Baltics and Latvia in particular, despite presumed occurrence outside the natural distribution range. In 2023, a survey of European beech plantations established in 2020 in the central region of Latvia revealed that 13% of saplings had decline symptoms—branch dieback and top dieback in beech saplings, often accompanied by browning of leaves. An endophytic and anthracnose-causing ascomycete, Apiognomonia errabunda, was isolated from shoots of symptomatic beech saplings and potentially associated with the observed symptoms. Accordingly, this is the first molecularly approved report of this fungus in Latvia.