Summary
The occurrence and distribution of Dothistroma needle blight (DNB) were studied in 2014–2017 around Slovakia. A total of 84 localities, both native and planted, were investigated, and the presence of DNB was confirmed in 73 of them. In all positive locations, symptoms typical of DNB were observed and the Dothistroma species was confirmed using species‐specific primers either from fungal cultures or directly from needles. Both Dothistroma species—D. septosporum and D. pini—were identified. Both species occurred together in 29 locations, only D. septosporum in 42 and only D. pini in two locations. The host range of D. septosporum included 10 pine species and two spruce species. The host range of D. pini comprised the same number of pine hosts but only one spruce species. Five pine hosts, P. aristata, P. coulteri, P. densiflora, P. jeffreyi, P. × schwerinii, and one spruce host P. abies are new hosts species of D. pini. P. densiflora and Picea pungens have earlier been reported to be susceptible for DNB. In this study, D. septosporum was found from both tree species.
The ability of two strains of the antibiotic-producing bacillus Aneurinibacillus migulanus to control Dothistroma septosporum infection of pine was tested in artificial inoculation experiments on 2-year-old Pinus contorta plants. Disease severity (% needles with conidiomata) on control plants was 5.8 AE 1.7%, compared with 6.2 AE 2.0% on plants treated with A. migulanus NCTC 7096. In contrast, treatment with A. migulanus Nagano reduced Dothistroma needle blight (DNB) severity to 1.1 AE 0.4%. The conidial density and percentage germination of D. septosporum on needles were also greatly reduced on seedlings treated with A. migulanus Nagano compared with the A. migulanus NCTC 7096 and control treatments. The results suggest that A. migulanus Nagano has potential as a biological control agent for use against DNB in forest nurseries.
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