Inoculation of stumps with Hypholoma fasciculare as a possible means to control armillaria root disease

Abstract

Hypholoma fasciculare (Huds. ex Fr.) Kummer was paired with Armillaria ostoyae (Romagn.) Herink in a variety of ways in the laboratory and then it was inoculated onto A. ostoyae infected stumps in the field. The ability of H. fasciuclare colonies to overrun A. ostoyae colonies in culture was confirmed. Hypholoma fasciculare fully colonized discs of tree roots where A. ostoyae was well established, and prevented A. ostoyae from occupying root segments when both fungi were introduced simultaneously. A simple method for inoculating H. fasciculare into stumps is described, and data supporting successful field inoculations are presented. The ability of H. fasciculare to invade freshly killed stumps, even those occupied by Armillaria, is demonstrated, and it is speculated that the ability of this saprophyte to invade fresh stumps is dependent upon its inoculum potential.

Effects of precommercial thinning on the forest value chain in northwestern New Brunswick: Part 3 – Incidence of root and butt decay

“…The high isolation incidence of Hypholoma capnoides, a fungus considered to be a slash and stump decayer in natural stands (Miller and Miller 2006), may be of concern through its appearance as a butt rot fungus of living trees. A closely related species, H. fasciculare, has been studied and considered for stump treatment as a biocontrol agent for Armillaria Root Disease in western Canada (Chapman and Xiao 2000).…”

Wood production, wood technology, and biotechnological impacts

“…Areas of hundreds of hectares can be infected by one single isolate with devastating killing effects on the trees (Ferguson et al 2003). Some reports are available on potential BCAs, including wood-decay fungi with similar ecological niches (Boddy 1993, Pearce et al 1995, Chapman & Xiao 2000 and toxin producing and mycoparasitic Trichoderma species and other ascomycetes (Dumas & Boyonoski 1992, Reaves & Crawford 1994, Otieno et al 2003, Raziq & Fox 2004. Burying the mycoparasite T. harzianum after growth on grains or other plant material in the soil in close vicinity to infected roots appears to be a promising strategy of killing Armillaria hyphae and rhizomorphs (Raynal et al 2002, Otieno et al 2003.…”

Forest pathogens: friend or foe to biodiversity?

“…ex Fr.) has also been investigated in Canada (Chapman and Xiao 2000). Another documented example of suppression involves the action of nitrogen-fixing Frankia spp., in which the mutualistic bacteria encourage vigorous growth of red alder, Alnus rubra Bong., as a "natural biological control of laminated root-rot disease".…”