Project: 2004-01. Report - Investigation of the relationship between Sphaeropsis sapinea and Nectria fuckeliana
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Date: 2004 Author: Matthew Power and Tod Ramsfield Publication: Client Report No. 38904 Project reference: 2004-01 Full report is available from: |
Executive summary:
Objective
This study attempted to determine if initial infection of Pinus radiata by Sphaeropsis sapinea predisposes the tree to infection by Nectria fuckeliana.
Key Results
Specific polymerase chain reactions (PCR) were utilised to identify S. sapinea and N. fuckeliana in infected tissue. Using these reactions, it was possible to detect S. sapinea and N. fuckeliana in infected trees.
Wood samples from trees exhibiting flute canker symptoms showed the presence of N. fuckeliana when using the specific reactions, but did not always show the presence of S. sapinea. These results indicate that N. fuckeliana does not need the presence of S. sapinea to infect the tree, implying that N. fuckeliana is a primary invader.
Further Work
This project allowed optimisation of DNA extraction from N. fuckeliana infected P. radiata, and the optimised method will be used to further study the epidemiology of this fungus.
Full report is available from:
Forest Research
Private bag 3020
Rotorua
New Zealand
