The wound pathogen Chondrostereum purpureum, its history and incidence on trees in North America

Abstract

Since Percival's inoculation studies in 1902 with the wound pathogen Chondrostereum purpureum (Pers. : Fr.) Pouz. on plum trees in England, this fungus has become well known as the cause of silver-leaf disease of rosaceous fruit trees. However, its pathological impact on forest trees has been little studied and appreciated. Therefore, the question is raised about the pathogenic role and incidence of C. purpureum on other trees in damaged forests. A survey of 561 collections of this fungus in herbaria of Canada and the United States found that the highest incidence occurred in the Betulaceae (45%), especially Betula (27%) and Alnus (15%). The second-most favoured host family was the Salicaceae (20%) with a 15 and 5% occurrence on Populus and Salix, respectively. The third-most favoured substrate was apparently the Rosaceae at 11%, but this reflected a bias of agricultural research in orchards. A 6% incidence was found in the Fagaceae, 4% in the Aceraceae and 3% in the Ulmaceae. From 1 to 3% of the collections occurred for each of the Cornaceae, Juglandaceae, Magnoliaceae and Pinaceae. Incidences <1% were indicated for each of the Aquifoliaceae, Caprifoliaceae, Cupressaceae, Grossulariaceae, Hamamelidaceae, Hippocastanaceae, Myrtaceae, Oleaceae, Rhamnaceae and Tiliaceae. The host survey data indicate that C. purpureum is an important pathogen with epidemic potential in forest trees, especially species in the Betulaceae and Salicaceae. The silvering symptom is inconspicuous in birch and other non-rosaceous trees. Forests with greatest vulnerability are those subjected (1) to physical forces that cause stem injuries to susceptible trees, (2) to environmental conditions conducive for infection and (3) to high levels of basidiospore inoculum from fruiting bodies on hardwood slash that result from timber harvesting and storm damage. Silver-leaf is an important fungal disease of many tree species in North America and is largely responsible for the birch dieback in North American forests. Control data from several mycoherbicide experiments support this conclusion.