Paulownia fortunei and P. tomentosa are currently being grown for high quality timber production in a number of private and public Australian plantations. The trees originated in China where they have been grown for many centuries, relatively free of disease. In the Mediterranean environment of Australia Paulownia appear to be more susceptible to infection by a range of pathogens.
The wood-rot fungus Pycnoporus is a widely spread saprotroph, and is also used commercially for the degradation of lignin and other biotechnological applications (1). It has previously been identified on dead Paulownia trees and tree stumps (N. Malajczuk, pers. comm.). This is the first report of Pycnoporus cinnabarinus on living Paulownia trees. Preliminary results from a trial assessing potential fungicides for control of this pathogen are also presented
