Sweet cherry is an important fruit crop in China with a high economic value. From 2019 to 2020, a leaf spot disease was reported, with purplish-brown circular lesions in three cultivating regions in China. Twenty-four Fusarium isolates were obtained from diseased samples and were identified based on morphological characteristics and multi-locus phylogenetic analyses. Seven species, including F. luffae (7 isolates), F. lateritium (6 isolates), F. compactum (5 isolates), F. nygamai (2 isolates), F. citri (2 isolates), F. ipomoeae (1 isolate) and F. curvatum (1 isolate) were identified. The pathogenicity test showed that analyzed strains of all species could produce lesions on detached cherry leaves. Therefore, Fusarium was proved to be a pathogen of cherry leaf spots in China. This is the first report of F. luffae, F. compactum, F. nygamai, F. citri, F. ipomoeae and F. curvatum on sweet cherry in China.
Keywords: Fusarium; Prunus avium; morphology; pathogenicity; phylogeny.