first report of ophiostoma karelicum from birch stands - Poznań

58 Short communications
This is the first finding of O. karelicum in Poland. It has also been only reported
from the same host (Linnakoski et al. 2008), and from Pinus sylvestris and Picea abies
in Finland and Russia (Linnakoski et al. 2010). In the present study, O. karelicum
was unable to cause mortality of any of the test seedlings. However, this fungus
generated serious necrotic lesions in the phloem and sapwood of two-year-old B.
verrucosa seedlings. This suggests that O. karelicum is a pathogen with medium level
of virulence to B. verrucosa.
Acknowledgements
The author gratefully acknowledges Miroslav Kola ik (Institute of Microbiology,
Prague, Czech Republic) for identification of O. karelicum using molecular
techniques.
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Author’s address:
Dr. Robert Jankowiak, Department of Forest Pathology, University of
Agriculture, Al. 29 Listopada 46, 31-425 Kraków, Poland, e-mail:
rljankow@cyf-kr.edu.pl
Accepted for publication: 12.03.2011