Diseases

Olive Leaf Spot

Olea europaea L.

A fungal disease of olive trees caused by Venturia oleaginea, characterized by the appearance of dark green or black spots with yellow halos on the leaves. The disease triggers premature defoliation, reduced tree vigor, and decreased yields.

In the reference 9 varieties crop Olive, where this is mentioned in the description.

The pathogen causing the disease is the fungus Venturia oleaginea (synonyms Spilocaea oleagina, Fusicladium oleagineum), which develops directly under the cuticle of the leaf epidermal cells. A typical symptom of infection is the appearance of circular spots with a chlorotic ring, resembling an 'eye' on a peacock's tail, which accounts for the alternative name of the disease, 'peacock spot'.

With intensive pathogen development, the spots spread to petioles, fruit stalks, and fruits. Massive leaf drop caused by the infection leads to a decline in the tree's photosynthetic activity, which negatively affects the volume of the harvest and the quality of the oil produced. At present, a clear differentiation into races of the pathogen has not been established, and specific resistance genes in the crop lack standardized nomenclature.

General information about the subject — on the page Scab.

Sources8

Varieties of Olive mentioned in the description

Selection based on the description text, not on official evaluation: these data are absent from registers. For specific variety details, please refer to its profile.