Trees startpage: 941 endpage: 951 https://unilib.phaidrabg.rs/o:6827 doi:10.1007/s00468-024-02526-5 ISSN: 1432-2285 http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/legalcode Vemić, Aleksandar Jovanović, Sanja Radulović, Zlatan Lučić, Aleksandar Rakonjac, Ljubinko Hadrović, Sabahudin Popović, Vladan application/pdf 1614089 bytes Springer Ecological role of the beech (Fagus sylvatica) provenance in the development of Fusarium sambucinum damping‑off symptoms 2024 info:eu-repo/semantics/article eng Damping-off, European beech, Reproductive material selection, Seedlings production The Fagus sylvatica damping-off caused by Fusarium sambucinum is a well-known but insufficiently studied disease, especially since it appears on other tree species in beech forests, creating a great possibility of beech infection. To understand the development processes of this fungus in natural stands and improve nursery production, we examined the influence of F. sylvatica germinants of different provenances on the development of damping-off symptoms caused by F. sambucinum. Our results indicated that the different provenances of F. sylvatica did not affect the possibility of symptoms, indicating the potential for intensive occurrence of infection with this fungal pathogen in geographically different F. sylvatica forests. Certain provenances showed statistically significant smaller dimensions of necrotic lesions and a higher degree of survival. The tolerant provenance seed had differences in width and thickness size compared to susceptible provenances. This research represents for the first time a reasonable basis for selecting initial material tolerant to damping-off caused by F. sambucinum.