UDC 634.232-23(497.11) 634.233-23(497.11) Original research paper doi: 10.5937/AASer1948107I Acta Agriculturae Serbica, Vol. XXIV, 48(2019); 107-1181 Foliar pathogens of sweet and sour cherry in Serbia Renata Iličić1, Tatjana Popović2, Slobodan Vlajić3, Vladislav Ognjanov1 1Faculty of Agriculture, University of Novi Sad, Trg Dositeja Obradovića 8, 21000 Novi Sad, Serbia 2Institute for Plant Protection and Environment, Teodora Drajzera 9, 11040 Belgrade, Serbia 3Institute of Field and Vegetable Crops, Maksima Gorkog 30, 21000 Novi Sad, Serbia Corresponding author:
[email protected] Abstract: In recent years, sweet and sour cherry production in Serbia has increased. Under Serbian agroecological conditions, pathogens causing leaf diseases threaten the success of sweet and sour cherry production. In the period 2012–2019, the health status of cherries was monitored in more than 30 locations. Depending on the production system, the following leaf pathogens were identified: Blumeriella jaapii, Wilsonomyces carpophilus, Mycosphaerella cerasella, Phoma prunicola, Podosphaera clandestina and Pseudomonas syringae pv. syringae and morsprunorum race 1. Leaf pathogens caused premature defoliation, which adversely affected bud formation for the next growing season and increased susceptibility to freezing. Therefore, attention should be focused on correct leaf pathogen identification, and proper selection, application and rotation of fungicides. Keywords: sweet cherry, sour cherry, leaf, disease, plant pathogenic fungi, bacteria. Received 22 November 2019 Accepted 10 December 2019 108 Acta Agriculturae Serbica, Vol. XXIV, 48(2019); 107-118 Introduction Sweet cherry (Prunus avium L.) and sour cherry (P. cerasus L.) production is threatened by a significant number of phytopathogens affecting cherry leaves and causing premature defoliation, reduced shoot growth, increased susceptibility to winter injury, higher tree mortality, branch breakage and replanting problems.