First record of Septorioides strobi Wyka & Broders (Septorioidaceae) in pine plantations in Bulgaria

Septorioides strobi Wyka et Broders (Ascomycota, Botryosphaeriales, Septorioideaceae), the causal agent of Septorioides needle blight, was detected for the first time in Bulgaria and Europe in 2023. Over the past three years, the pathogen has caused significant damage of Pinus sylvestris L. within the State Forest Enterprises (SFEs) Ardino, Smilyan, Smolyan, Zlatograd (South-eastern Bulgaria), and of P. nigra Arn. in SFE Karlovo (South-central Bulgaria). In most plantations, S. strobi occurred together with other fungal pathogens, including Lecanosticta acicola (von Thümen) Sydow, Diplodia sapinea (Fries) Fuckel, Cyclaneusma minus (Butin) DiCosmo, Peredo et Minter, Pestalotiopsis funerea (Desmazières) Steyaert, and Lophodermium sp. The spread of the disease in pine plantations was documented from 2023 to 2025.