Witzell, Johanna
- Southern Swedish Forest Research Centre, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences
- University of Eastern Finland
Abstract
Dutch elm disease (DED), caused by the fungi Ophiostoma ulmi and O.novo-ulmi, has reduced elm populations severely in Europe and North America. Breeding programmes are in action to find less susceptible elm varieties suitable for re-establishing elm stands. Bark beetles, mainly Scolytus spp., are the only known natural vectors of DED. During twig feeding, beetles transfer Ophiostoma spores to healthy elms. Thus, less palatable elms should run a lower risk of DED infections. In feeding preference bioassays, we offered twigs from elms exhibiting different degree of susceptibility to O.novo-ulmi, together with non-host trees to Scolytus beetles. Scolytus multistriatus preferred wych elm, Ulmus glabra, to 100% in two-choice tests, whereas S.laevis did not discriminate between a tolerant and a susceptible variety of field elm, U.minor. We suggest that the feeding assay is useful as a low-tech method in breeding programmes for evaluating the suitability of promising elm genotypes to vector insects.
Keywords
bioassay; elm bark beetle; feeding preference; Ophiostoma; Scolytus laevis; Scolytus multistriatus
Published in
Journal of Applied Entomology
2017, volume: 141, number: 5, pages: 417-420
Publisher: WILEY
SLU Authors
Associated SLU-program
SLU Plant Protection Network
UKÄ Subject classification
Forest Science
Publication identifier
- DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/jen.12354
Permanent link to this page (URI)
https://res.slu.se/id/publ/82919