Sharp eyespot caused by Rhizoctonia cerealis was assessed in four winter wheat crops surveyed at four locations in north-central Poland in 2006–2009. At the four locations symptoms developed on 41.9–67.7 % of shoots of all plants (average of 4 years) and on 49–73.5 % of shoots of diseased plants (average of 4 years). Slight (category 1) disease was most frequent, occurring on 24.4–41.3 % of shoots (range 14.8–51.3 %); moderate (category 2) disease was less frequent, occurring on 16.9–25.5 % of shoots (range 8.9–32.4 %); severe (category 3) disease was least frequent, occurring on 3.2–7.1 % (range 0–22.0 %) of shoots. Sharp eyespot affected wheat growth and yield, and grain quality. Disease, especially in the severe category, was associated with significant decreases in plant and ear dry weights, number of grains per ear, grain dry weight per ear and thousand-grain weight, and with increases in grain protein and wet gluten contents, Hagberg falling number and sedimentation value. There was an association between occurrence of sharp eyespot in stems and colonization of grain by fungi. Alternaria alternata and E. nigrum were the most common species.

In 2017, a 560-ha area of hybrid poplar plantation in northern Poland showed symptoms of tree decline. The leaves appeared smaller, yellow-brown, and were shed prematurely. Twigs and smaller branches died without distinct cankers. Trunks decayed from the base. The phloem and xylem showed brown necrosis. Ten percent of the trees died 1–2 months after the first appearance of the symptoms. None of these symptoms were typical for known poplar diseases. The trees’ mycobiota were analysed using Illumina sequencing. A total of 69 467 and 70 218 operational taxonomic units (OTUs) were obtained from the soil and wood. Blastocladiomycota and Chytridiomycota occurred only in the soil, with very low frequencies (0.005% and 0.008%). Two taxa of Glomeromycota, with frequencies of 0.001%, occurred in the wood. In the soil and wood, the frequencies of Zygomycota were 3.631% and 0.006%, the frequencies of Ascomycota were 45.299% and 68.697%, and the frequencies of Basidiomycota were 4.119% and 2.076%. At least 400 taxa of fungi were present. The identifiable Zygomycota, Ascomycota, and Basidiomycota were represented by at least 18, 263 and 81 taxa, respectively. Many fungi were common to the soil and wood, but 160 taxa occurred only in soil and 73 occurred only in wood. The root pathogens included species of Oomycota. The vascular and parenchymal pathogens included species of Ascomycota and of Basidiomycota. The initial endophytic character of the fungi is emphasized. Soil, and possibly planting material, may be the sources of the pathogen inoculum, and climate warming is likely to be a predisposing factor. A water deficit may increase the trees’ susceptibility. The epidemiology of poplar vascular wilt reminds grapevine trunk diseases (GTD), including esca, black foot disease and Petri disease.