Sooty Blotch and Flyspeck on Apples: Etiology, Species Diversity, and Biology

The complex of fungi that causes sooty blotch and flyspeck (SBFS complex) has remained unexplored for many years. A hundred years ago, Leptothyrium pomi was considered the only pathogen of both diseases. By 1997, the complex was expanded to four species, and, over the past 25 years, it has grown to more than a hundred species. Since progress in the study of these diseases came only with the beginning of the active use of molecular genetics, many bioecological features of these diseases remain in question. The relevance of the study of the SBFS complex is due to its increased harmfulness against the background of the desire for environmentally friendly production in many countries of the world. Foreign review articles do not mention data on the distribution of the SBFS complex in Russia. Meanwhile, in the south of Russia, outbreaks of SBFS are periodically noted. In some years, the damage to fruits in the treated areas can reach up to 50%. In Russia, however, much of the fundamental phytopathological literature was published before the breakthrough in the study of SBFS, and new publications often overlook recent findings. In this regard, an attempt has been made to write a Russian-language review of the most relevant data of the SBFS complex.