Nectria haematococca causing root rot in olive greenhouse plants

This is the first report of Nectria haematococca Berk. & Br. in Argentina. It was isolated from 8 to 12 month greenhouse olive Olea europaea L. plants. The anamorph, Fusarium solani (Mart.) Sacc., was frequently isolated while the teleomorph was rare in culture. Perithecia developed on plated olive root segments and around the PDA medium. Two isolates of F. solani produced orange perithecia, which remained immature for several months. A third isolate developed perithecia containing asci with 2-cell light brown and longitudinally striated ascospores, at maturity. Young olive plants inoculated with F. solani showed leaf browning, root rot, wilting and plant death. Controls remained healthy. The presence of the sexual stage is responsible for the genetic variability of this pathogen.