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Research article2018Peer reviewedOpen access

Infection of pre-commercially cut stumps of Picea abies and Pinus sylvestris by Heterobasidion spp. - a comparative study

Gaitnieks, T.; Brauners, I; Kenigsvalde, K.; Zaluma, A.; Bruna, L.; Jansons, J.; Burnevica, N.; Lazdins, A.; Vasaitis, R.

Abstract

The aim was to investigate relative susceptibility of stumps of spruce and pine to airborne infections by Heterobasidion following pre-commercial thinnings. The proportions of infected stumps and colonized stump surface areas were analysed in 16 forest stands. In total, 746 spruce and 1063 pine stumps were sampled, and 184 and 105 infected stumps, respectively, were analysed. In conclusion, the present study demonstrated that in the investigated area: i) both Heterobasidion infection frequency and the extent of surface colonization correlated positively with stump diameter of both spruce and pine; ii) spruce stumps were significantly more often subjected to primary infections than pine stumps; iii) the pathogen exhibited more extensive surface colonization of spruce stumps than of pine stumps.

Keywords

Norway spruce; Scots pine; Heterobasidion; pre-commercial thinnings

Published in

Silva Fennica
2018, Volume: 52, number: 1, article number: 9911
Publisher: FINNISH SOC FOREST SCIENCE-NATURAL RESOURCES INST FINLAND