In the flora of the Banat mountains there are important populations of Cornus mas known as Cornelian cherry in Europe and as dogwood un North America. Those populations are placed especially on the slopes up to an altitude below 1000 meters. Like many other species, this shrub can be used both for medicinal purposes (especially fruits but also young leaves and shoots) and as an ornamental plant (especially for live fences or even as a honey plant in some areas). Flowers, fruits and bark of Cornelian cherry (harvested from young shoots) are used as a medicinal plant. In other areas of the world Cornelian cherry seeds are used to obtain a special medicinal oil. From the shrubs bark a red pigment can be obtained. Also, the leaves can be used as a source for tannin extraction. The wood of this species is very hard and can be used even in the manufacture hinges for wooden fence gates. During the study of the medicinal plants pathogens from the spontaneous flora of the Banat mountains, we observed relatively small spots (max. 15 mm) of black color. Some of this spots have a central light color point. Those dark spots were randomly placed on the entire leaf surface, between the ribs. During the laboratory analysis, the fruiting bodies observed were acervulus. This fulfilled all the anatomical characteristics of the species Colletotrichum acutatum, a characteristic pathogen for the Cornelian cherry (Cornus mas). The present paper presents results regarding the spread of the pathogen in the investigated area and also an assessment regarding the amount of inoculum of the pathogen Colletotrichum acutatum. Cornelian cherry populations on which observations have been made are distributed on different altitude steps and also cover all the relief forms present in the investigated area, from the floodplain of some rivers such as Nera and Cerna and up to high mountain valleys such as the one in which the city of Anina is located.

Cornelian cherry, anthracnose, Colletotrichum acutatum

biology

Presentation: poster