Leaf blight (Ventura populina)
- French disease name: Brûlure des pousses à Venturia populina
- Pathogen name: Venturia populina (Vuill.) Fabric.
- Kingdom: Fungi
- Phylum: Ascomycota
- Class: Dothideomycetes
- Order: Venturiales
- Family: Venturiaceae
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Partial list of synonyms:
- Didymospharia populina Vuill.
- Pollaccia elegans Servazzi
Distribution
- Canada
Damage, symptoms and biology
In the spring, the ascospores cause primary infection on the tips of leaves emerging from the buds near old dead shoots infected the previous year.
In eastern Ontario, the primary cycle begins in about late May and the secondary cycle in about early June. The twigs are infected in June and immature perithecia can be found on scorched shoots in early August. Mature ascospores are released early the following spring.
This disease is most severe in young stands, and has the greatest impact in intensively managed plantations.
Other information
Pollaccia elegans is the asexual stage (anamorph) of Venturia populina.
Canadian Forest Service Publications
Leaf blight (Ventura populina)
Information on host(s)
Main host(s)
- Balsam poplar
- Hybrid poplar
- Largetooth aspen
- Lombardy poplar
- Trembling aspen
Secondary host(s)
Photos
Defoliation caused by V. populina
Peter Koot