Botryosphaeria dothidea – causal agent of olive fruit rot – pathogen of wounds or not?

Abstract: The present paper deals with the relationship between olive fruit infections made by the fungus Botryosphaeria dothidea, causal agent of olive fruit rot, and the fruit damages made by insects, primarily olive fruit fly, Bactrocera oleae. Several authors have studied this relationship, and some have noticed that wounds made by olive fruit fly Bactrocera oleae enable the disease occurrence on fruit. Lasioptera berlesiana is another insect that influences the development of olive fruit rot disease. On the other hand, there are several statements that the pathogen is not necessarily related to wounds but it can cause the infection by itself. This work reports the results of a study on this matter achieved in Montenegro.