Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) is one of the most widespread coniferous species in boreal zones and it has a considerable economic importance in the Baltic countries. The impact of fungi on Scots pine has been known also historically, but it is predicted that it will increase in future due to climate changes that will have a positive effect on incidence and vitality of various species of fungi. The aim of the study was to characterize the occurrence of Lophodermium spp. in young stands of Scots pine in Latvia. Needle samples were collected from young pine stands (aged 1 -14 years) located in all regions of Latvia. DNA extraction from needles was done using modified CTAB protocol, presence of Lophodermium in total extracted DNA was detected using a PCR method. Meteorological data -air temperature and precipitation -were obtained from all 34 observation stations of the Latvian Environment, Geology and Meteorology Centre. The presence of Lophodermium spp. was detected in all surveyed stands, and occurrence differences between the western and eastern regions were significant (p = 0.004). The occurrence of Lophodermium spp. in the eastern and western regions was affected by the meteorological conditions in autumn and winter of the previous years, as well as differences in the given years' air temperature and precipitation. In 2016, the eastern region of Latvia had a higher May-August precipitation and, to a lesser extent, temperature, which correlated with a higher occurrence of Lophodermium spp.
Climate changes are expected to create favourable conditions for development and spread of diseases. Therefore, the impact of meteorological factors on needle cast damage, and relationship between degree of damage and growth of trees had been assessed in the study. Analysis was carried out in open-pollinated progeny trial of Norupe seed orchard clones, established in the spring of 2006, in Ltd. “Rīgas meži” (LLC “Riga Forests”). In this trial needle cast damage was assessed in three consecutive years using a fivegrade scale, dependent on the level of damages on current year needles. At the end of each growing season a tree height was measured. Plantation was significantly affected by infection average more than 66% of current year damaged by the disease. Significant (p<0.001) correlation was detected between the degree of needle cast damage and tree height increment as well as the tree height. Significant (p<0.001) differences in needle cast infection level as well as tree height and height increment were found also between open-pollinated families. The results suggest a potentially increasing needle cast infection due to predicted increase of temperature and precipitation, as well as the potential to select more resistant families against damages of this disease in tree breeding process.
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