Olive leaf spot caused by Venturia oleaginea: An updated review

Olive leaf spot (OLS) caused by Venturia oleaginea is widespread in all olive-growing areas and continents, where can cause severe yield losses. The disease is often underestimated for the difficulty to reveal early leaf symptoms and for the pathogen-induced phylloptosis, which creates the illusion of healthy and restored plants. The present review provide updated information on taxonomy, pathogen life style and cycle, epidemiology, diagnosis, and control. Application of copper-based fungicides is the main method to control OLS. However, the regulation 2009/1107 of the European Commission include these fungicides in the list of substances candidates for substitution. It is therefore urgent to find alternative control strategies especially for organic agriculture. Among new approaches/strategies for controlling OLS, promising results have been obtained using nanotechnology, endophytic microbes, and biostimulants.

Automated summary

Olive leaf spot (OLS) caused by Venturia oleaginea is a prevalent disease in olive-growing areas worldwide, leading to significant yield losses. Early detection of leaf symptoms is difficult, and the pathogen-induced leaf drop creates the illusion of healthy and restored plants. This review provides updated information on taxonomy, pathogen life cycle, epidemiology, diagnosis, and control strategies for OLS. Copper-based fungicides, the main method of control, are facing potential substitution due to regulations, making it urgent to find alternative strategies, especially for organic agriculture.