Latent infection of Biscogniauxia nummularia in Fagus sylvatica: a possible bioindicator of beech health conditions

Biscogniauxia nummularia is a xylariaceous fungus known as a common endophyte of European beech, living in plant tissues without development of symptoms, or even inducing strip-cankers and wood decay on trees stressed by drought. We studied the presence of the fungus in apparently healthy beech tree...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:IForest (Viterbo) 2016-02, Vol.9 (1), p.49-54
Main Authors: Luchi, N, Capretti, P, Feducci, M, Vannini, A, Ceccarelli, B, Vettraino, AM
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Beech
Bioclimatology
Bioindicators
Biometeorology
Climate
Decay fungi
Disease
Drought
Endophytes
Epidemics
Fagus sylvatica
Forests
Fungi
Indicator species
Latent infection
Latent Pathogen
Pathogens
Plant tissues
Precipitation
Real Time PCR
Summer
Trees
Winter
Xylariaceae
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Summary:Biscogniauxia nummularia is a xylariaceous fungus known as a common endophyte of European beech, living in plant tissues without development of symptoms, or even inducing strip-cankers and wood decay on trees stressed by drought. We studied the presence of the fungus in apparently healthy beech trees, growing in two different bioclimatic zones characterized by Continental and Mediterranean climates. Asymptomatic twigs were collected in each zone over the season and evaluated for the presence of B. nummularia infections using both cultural and qPCR methods. Results from qPCR indicated differences in the detection of B. nummularia among the seasons and between the study sites. In both sites the highest frequency of detection was in summer. B. nummularia was more frequently detected in the Mediterranean bioclimatic area, where drought is more common. These results suggest that B. nummularia may be a possible bioindicator of beech health stands.
ISSN:1971-7458
1971-7458
DOI:10.3832/ifor1436-008