“SOS” for “plantain cancer”

Forests are at risk because of it of the “cancer” of the plantain. “At the moment, all the plane forests in Greece have been largely destroyed except for Macedonia, Thrace and the islands. Let’s save them while there is still time”, says the president of the Forestry Department of the AUTH, Al. Dimitrakopoulos.

“In the summer we have the fires, now we have the metachromatic ulcer of the sycamore which is unfortunately called, from the results it brings, cancer of the plantain,” said Mr. Dimitrakopoulos to SKAI.

“I say this because when infected by the fungus whose spores we cannot see with the naked eye, there is no doctor. It is doomed to dry up“, he added.

According to Mr. Dimitrakopoulos, the metachromatic ulcer was first detected in Messinia and has since spread.

“The government reacted immediately with a special order to deal with it. Unfortunately, the measures were either not implemented, or did not have the corresponding success that we expected, with the result that in 20 years they will be on the border of Macedonia. Right now it is in the sycamore forest of Rymni, in the sycamore forest of Neokaesaria in Kozani“, he said.

The “cancer” of the plantain

The autumn 2003 the disease “metachromatic ulcer of the plane tree” was found in Greece, caused by the fungus Ceratocystis fimbriata f.sp. platani.

The pathogen affects only plantain species. It is the most destructive plane tree disease internationally, causing the trees to die.

Young trees usually die in less than two years, while older trees can survive for several years after being infected by the pathogen, however, the death of infected plants is inevitable

The disease has wreaked havoc in Italy and France, where it is believed to have been introduced by the US during World War II.

As reported by the Ministry of Agricultural Development and Food, it may have been imported into Greece with propagating material.

This pathogen is a huge threat to the plane trees of Greece and its immediate treatment should be sought in every way.

As for the obvious symptom in “cankered” sycamores, it is the sudden wilting of a portion of the crown. This usually occurs in spring and summer, when the plant’s water needs are increased.

The leaves turn yellow prematurely and wither. Very often in the spring, a branch or the whole tree may not sprout at all, or the new buds suddenly wither and die before they even develop.

In large trees with an attack on the trunk, before branch necrosis occurs, a general thinning of the crown and symptoms of microphyllia are observed.