Seiridium cardinale on Juniperus species in Greece

Summary Seiridium cardinale, the cause of cypress canker disease, was found on Juniperus foetidissima, J. excelsa, J. oxycedrus and J. phoenicea, in a number of natural juniper woodlands in Greece. The presence of infections was sporadic in most cases, with a limited number of plants affected by the pathogen. At one locality in the Prespes Lakes region of northern Greece, however, the incidence of infection was very high, especially on J. foetidissima and J. excelsa. The identity of S. cardinale was confirmed using morphological characters and comparisons of DNA sequences for the β‐tubulin gene region. The pathogenicity of S. cardinale isolates from Juniperus and Cupressus was verified in cross‐inoculation trials on both potted and field grown plants.