First record of Chalara fraxinea in Finland and genetic variation among isolates sampled from Åland, mainland Finland, Estonia and Latvia

Summary We have isolated and confirmed the identification of ash dieback fungus (Chalara fraxinea, teleomorph Hymenoscyphus albidus) for the first time in Finland. In a preliminary analysis, considerable amount of genetic variation was detected among 20 Finnish (Aland and mainland Finland), one Latvian and 11 Estonian isolates, analysed by random amplified microsatellite (RAMS) markers.