Dieback and sooty canker of Ficus trees in Egypt and its control.

This study was designed to throw lights on dieback and canker disease on urban trees of Ficus sp. in Egypt, its causal pathogens and disease control. Diseased samples were collected from five locations. Pathogenicity test was done on one year old of three different healthy seedlings of Ficus trees (Ficus benghalensis, Ficu snitida and Ficus hawaii). Lasiodiplodia theobromae and Phomopsis sp. were consistently isolated from infected tissues and were pathogenic. The fungicides Antracol Combi and Topsin M 70 provided effective control of the infection. Accordingly, protecting ficus trees from diseases threating is considered a major goal to attain their benefits.