History of western white pine and blister rust in British Columbia

Abstract

Blister rust (Cronartium ribicola) entered Europe about 300 years after eastern white pine (Pinus strobus) was first planted in Europe. North America imported millions of infected seedlings after blister rust was firmly established throughout Europe. Blister rust probably entered into western North America on multiple occasions and spread throughout British Columbia (BC) by about 1930. Two large saw mills solely cutting western white pine (P. monticola) started in the 1920s with the main production for matches. Blister rust surveys in the 1940s painted a poor picture for the future of western white pine in BC, so it was discriminated against in forest management plans. Harvest volumes declined and the 2 mills ceased production about 1960. Selection of resistant clones from mature parents occurred between 1948 and 1960, but when it was evident that mature tree resistance was not likely to be in their seedlings the program was terminated. A program based on screening seedlings was started in 1983. The selected seedlings are hypothesized to possess age-related resistance that is being expressed at an early age. These and the better parents are incorporated into orchards. Key words: Cronartium, white pine, surveys, match blocks, rust resistance, PR proteins

White pines, Ribes, and blister rust: a review and synthesis

“…Although there are three native white pines in Europe, the recorded history of white pine blister in Europe begins a few hundred years after the initial introduction of P. strobus from North America (R adu 2008; H unt 2009). Two species are the slow‐growing, high‐elevation stone pines Pinus sibirica Du Tour of the Urals on the eastern border of Europe (the western Russia Empire of the 19th century is included here as part of Europe) and P. cembra L. of the Alps (see K lumpp 2008).…”

“…The blister rust epidemic in western North America contrasted strongly with that in eastern North America owing to several fundamental differences. In the East, there were many introductions over many years and locations; whereas in the West, there were few introductions of limited duration and area (Metcal f 1923; H unt 2009). Furthermore, in the West, a greater diversity of white pine and Ribes species were widely distributed across environments ranging from temperate rainforests to arid woodlands.…”

“…The biogeography of the western North American epidemic was characterized by introduction and rapid spread through very favourable maritime and montane environments (M ielke 1943 but see H unt 2009). Over many decades, blister rust continued spreading to and within continental and alpine environments to the east and south (B rown 1970; G eils et al.…”

“…During the same time, a California gold rush spurred growth of a timber industry based on sugar pine. With the white pine supply in the Great Lakes region nearly gone, and with the arrival in the 1900s of mining and railroads to eastern Washington, northern Idaho, and western Montana, timber companies set up logging camps and mills in the Inland Northwest and British Columbia (R ockwell 1911; H unt 2009).…”

Forest health and climate change: A British Columbia perspective

“…White pine blister rust is an alien invasive pathogen that was introduced into the forests of North America in the early 20 th century (Hunt 2009). It has devastated western white pine (Pinus monticola Douglas ex D. Donn) and other fiveneedle pines including whitebark pine (Pinus albicaulis Engelm.)…”