Forest Pathology (2019) 49 (1 - e12474)

Pratima Devkota, John K. Mensah, Ryan L. Nadel, George Matusick and Lori G. Eckhardt (2019)
Pinus taeda L. response to differential inoculum density of Leptographium terebrantis colonized toothpicks
Forest Pathology 49 (1 - e12474)
Abstract: Bark beetle-vectored ophiostomatoid fungi, Leptographium terebrantis, is inoculated on the roots and lower stems of stressed Pinus species during the feeding activity of bark beetle. To determine the exact host response following inoculation, it is critical to challenge the host with a realistic amount of fungal inoculum. Thus, we designed a series of stepwise experiments using L. terebrantis colonized toothpicks which focused on the inoculum transfer from the toothpicks to excised Pinus taeda stem segments and living saplings, respectively, at different inoculum densities. The toothpicks served as a substrate for fungal growth and sporulation and the inoculation showed their utility in eliciting host's response to the pathogen. The inoculated fungus caused blue-stain and sapwood occlusions in P. taeda stems and saplings, respectively. The volume of occluded, visually damaged sapwood increased by 1.96 cm³ per radial inoculation point on average. Fungal colonized toothpicks can be used as a suitable alternative to agar discs for studying bark beetles vectored fungi and their host interactions.
(The abstract is excluded from the Creative Commons licence and has been copied with permission by the publisher.)
Link to article at publishers website
Database assignments for author(s): Ryan L. Nadel, Lori G. Eckhardt

Research topic(s) for pests/diseases/weeds:
general biology - morphology - evolution

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Pest and/or beneficial records:

Beneficial	Pest/Disease/Weed	Crop/Product	Country	Quarant.
	Leptographium terebrantis	Pine (Pinus)	U.S.A. (SE)