SEVERE INFECTION OF FIGS BY FIG RUST PATHOGEN CEROTELIUM FICI IN MONTENEGRO

In late summer and early fall of 2014, both in productive plantations and in nurseries in Montenegro, an important disease of figs was recorded. The leaves of diseased trees became twisted upwards with rusty and necrotic areas and then dried. Numerous yellow to brown coloured spots on the upper side and reddish-brown pustules on the lower side of the leaves were noticed. Almost all leaves with those symptoms prematurely fell down, leaving bare branches and unripe fruits. Microscopic observations in laboratory revealed that the disease is caused by the phytopathogenic fungus Cerotelium fici. The disease is favoured by humid and warm summer conditions as it was in 2014.