9 research outputs found
Susceptibility of Several Northeastern Conifers to Fusarium circinatum and Strategies for Biocontrol
ProducciĂłn CientĂficaFusarium circinatum, the causal of pine pitch canker disease (PPC), is now considered among
the most important pathogens of Pinaceae in the world. Although in Europe PPC is only established
in the Iberian Peninsula, the potential endangered areas cover over 10 million hectares under the
current host distribution and climatic conditions. It is therefore a priority to test the susceptibility of
those species and their provenances, within Central and Northern Europe and find biological control
agents (BCAs) against the disease. In this study, the susceptibility of Pinus sylvestris, P. mugo and
Picea abies Romanian provenances to F. circinatum was tested using three inoculum doses. In parallel,
the potential use of Trichoderma atroviride and Trichoderma viride as BCAs against F. circinatum was also
tested. This study has demonstrated, for the first time, the susceptibility of P. mugo to F. circinatum.
Likewise, the susceptibility of P. abies was also confirmed. The fact that the Romanian provenance of
P. sylvestris has not been susceptible to F. circinatum suggests genetic resistance as a potential tool to
manage the disease. This, together with the apparent effectiveness of Trichoderma species as BCAs,
seems to indicate that an integrated management of the disease might be feasible.European Cooperation in Science and Technology (COST Action FP1406 PINESTRENGTH)Ministerio de EconomĂa, Industria y Competitividad (projects AGL2012-39912 / AGL2015-69370-R)Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology (grant SFRH/BPD/122928/2016
Pine Pitch Canker and Insects: Relationships and Implications for Disease Spread in Europe
ProducciĂłn CientĂficaThe fungal pathogen Fusarium circinatum (Nirenberg and Oâ Donnell) is the causal agent
of pine pitch canker (PPC) disease, which seriously affects conifer species in forests and nurseries
worldwide. In Europe, PPC is only established in the Iberian Peninsula; however, it is presumed that its
range could expand through the continent in the near future. Infection caused by this fungus requires
open wounds on the tree, including physical damage caused by insects. Therefore, a relationship
probably occurs between PPC and a wide variety of insects. The aim of this review is to outline the
taxonomic and ecological diversity of insect species with high potential association with F. circinatum
in Europe and elsewhere. The insects were classified as vectors, carriers and wounding agents
according to the association level with the PPC disease. In addition, we discuss the insect-mediated
spreading of PPC disease in relation to the different phases of forest stand development, from seeds
and seedlings in nurseries to mature stands. Lastly, to improve our predictive capacities and to
design appropriate intervention measures and strategies for controlling disease dissemination by
insects, variables such as geographic location, time of the year and host species should be considered,European Cooperation in Science and Technology (COST Action FP1406 PINESTRENGTH)Ministerio de EconomĂa, Industria y Competitividad - Fondo Europeo de Desarrollo Regional (project AGL2015-69370-R)Centro de Estudios do Ambiente e do Mar (CESAM) (project UID/AMB/50017/2019)Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology (projects PTDC/AGR-FOR/2768/2014 , POCI-01-0145-FEDER-016785 , SFRH/BPD/122928/2016)Russian Foundation for Basic Research (grant 17-04-01486)Saint Petersburg State Polytechnical University (project 2019-0420
Pine Pitch Canker and Insects: Regional Risks, Environmental Regulation, and Practical Management Options
ProducciĂłn CientĂficaPine pitch canker (PPC), caused by the pathogenic fungus Fusarium circinatum (Nirenberg
and Oâ Donnell), is a serious threat to pine forests globally. The recent introduction of the pathogen to Southern Europe and its spread in Mediterranean region is alarming considering the immense
ecological and economic importance of pines in the region. Pines in forests and nurseries can be
infected, resulting in severe growth losses and mortality. The pathogen is known to spread in plants
for planting and in seeds, and results from recent studies have indicated that F. circinatum may also
spread through phoretic associations with certain insects. With this review, we aim to expand the
current understanding of the risk of insect-mediated spread of PPC in different parts of Europe.
Through the joint action of a multinational researcher team, we collate the existing information about
the insect species spectrum in different biogeographic conditions and scrutinize the potential of
these insects to transmit F. circinatum spores in forests and nurseries. We also discuss the impact of
environmental factors and forest management in this context. We present evidence for the existence of
a high diversity of insects with potential to weaken pines and disseminate PPC in Europe, including
several common beetle species. In many parts of Europe, temperatures are projected to rise, which
may promote the activity of several insect species, supporting multivoltinism and thus, further
amplifying the risk of insect-mediated dissemination of PPC. Integrated pest management (IPM)
solutions that comply with forest management practices need to be developed to reduce this risk.
We recommend careful monitoring of insect populations as the basis for successful IPM. Improved
understanding of environmental control of the interaction between insects, the pathogen, and host
trees is needed in order to support development of bio-rational strategies to safeguard European pine
trees and forests against F. circinatum in future.European Cooperation in Science and Technology (COST Action FP1406 PINESTRENGTH)Ministerio de EconomĂa, Industria y Competitividad - Fondo Europeo de Desarrollo Regional (project AGL2015-69370-R)Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology (contract IF/00471/2013/CP1203/CT0001)Russian Foundation for Basic Research (grant 17-04-01486)Saint Petersburg State Polytechnical University (project 2019-0420
Susceptibility of Several Northeastern Conifers to Fusarium circinatum and Strategies for Biocontrol
Fusarium circinatum, the causal of pine pitch canker disease (PPC), is now considered among the most important pathogens of Pinaceae in the world. Although in Europe PPC is only established in the Iberian Peninsula, the potential endangered areas cover over 10 million hectares under the current host distribution and climatic conditions. It is therefore a priority to test the susceptibility of those species and their provenances, within Central and Northern Europe and find biological control agents (BCAs) against the disease. In this study, the susceptibility of Pinus sylvestris, P. mugo and Picea abies Romanian provenances to F. circinatum was tested using three inoculum doses. In parallel, the potential use of Trichoderma atroviride and Trichoderma viride as BCAs against F. circinatum was also tested. This study has demonstrated, for the first time, the susceptibility of P. mugo to F. circinatum. Likewise, the susceptibility of P. abies was also confirmed. The fact that the Romanian provenance of P. sylvestris has not been susceptible to F. circinatum suggests genetic resistance as a potential tool to manage the disease. This, together with the apparent effectiveness of Trichoderma species as BCAs, seems to indicate that an integrated management of the disease might be feasible
Susceptibility of Several Northeastern Conifers to Fusarium circinatum and Strategies for Biocontrol
Potential interactions between invasive Fusarium circinatum and other pine pathogens in Europe
Pines are major components of native forests and plantations in Europe, where they have both economic significance and an important ecological role. Diseases of pines are mainly caused by fungal and oomycete pathogens, and can significantly reduce the survival, vigor, and yield of both individual trees and entire stands or plantations. Pine pitch canker (PPC), caused by Fusarium circinatum (Nirenberg and O'Donnell), is among the most devastating pine diseases in the world, and is an example of an emergent invasive disease in Europe. The effects of microbial interactions on plant health, as well as the possible roles plant microbiomes may have in disease expression, have been the focus of several recent studies. Here, we describe the possible effects of co-infection with pathogenic fungi and oomycetes with F. circinatum on the health of pine seedlings and mature plants, in an attempt to expand our understanding of the role that biotic interactions may play in the future of PPC disease in European nurseries and forests. The available information on pine pathogens that are able to co-occur with F. circinatum in Europe is here reviewed and interpreted to theoretically predict the effects of such co-occurrences on pine survival, growth, and yield. Beside the awareness that F. circinatum may co-occurr on pines with other pathogens, an additional outcome from this review is an updating of the literature, including the so-called grey literature, to document the geographical distribution of the relevant pathogens and to facilitate differential diagnoses, particularly in nurseries, where some of them may cause symptoms similar to those induced by F. circinatum. An early and accurate diagnosis of F. circinatum, a pathogen that has been recently introduced and that is currently regulated in Europe, is essential to prevent its introduction and spread in plantings and forests