Fungi associated with a decline of Pinus nigra in urban greenery

Abstract

DOI: 10.15414/afz.2015.18.02.36–43

Received 23. January 2015 ǀ Accepted 20. February 2015 ǀ Available online 29. June 2015

During the years 2013-2014, complex mycoflora of Austrian pine trees (Pinus nigra Arnold) was monitored within a survey on health state of trees growing in urban environment. Nine species of microscopic fungi were isolated and identified from samples collected from different part of Pinus nigra needles during the study period. This study reports the occurrence of the fungi Asterosporium asterospermum, Beltrania rhombica, Camarosporium sp., Coleosporium sp., Cyclaneusma minus, Lophodermium seditiosum, Nigrospora sp. Phomopsis sp., Trichothecium roseum of P. nigra. In Austrian pine  the greatest damage has been caused by the fungi Lophodermium seditiosum and Cyclaneusma niveum. Damage caused by rust fungus (Coleosporium sp.) and by fungi Asterosporium asterospermum, and Beltrania rhombicaoccurs less frequently.

The aim of this study was to research distribution, disease symptoms, some important characteristics in pure culture and distinctive morphological features of the most important parasitic fungi in Austrian pine. The presence of these fungi in host tissue of symptomatic trees has been described using classical phytopathological approaches and microscopical identification based on morphological keys. The occurrence of most fungi was relatively common.