A shoot-blight disease of western larch in British Columbia

1969 ◽  
Vol 47 (10) ◽  
pp. 1509-1511 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. Funk

Encoeliopsis laricina (Ettlinger) Groves is shown to be the chief fungus associated with a shoot-blight disease of western larch (Larix occidentalis Nutt.) in the Kootenay region of British Columbia, Canada. Symptoms are described and biological characteristics of the fungus are given.

2013 ◽  
Vol 89 (03) ◽  
pp. 382-391 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alan Vyse ◽  
Michelle R. Cleary ◽  
Ian R. Cameron

We provide results from two trials comparing performance of species of known provenance planted on logged sites in the southern Interior Cedar Hemlock biogeoclimatic zone of southern British Columbia 20 and 26 years after establishment. The commonly used plantation species, lodgepole pine (Pinus contorta var. latifolia), interior spruce (a naturally occurring hybrid between Picea glauca and P. engelmannii) and Douglas-fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii var. glauca), survived as well as, but grew more slowly than, western larch (Larix occidentalis), western white pine (Pinus monticola) and ponderosa pine (Pinus ponderosa), and faster than western redcedar (Thuja plicata). Site index values were generally higher than published values for similar sites. Numerous pests affected all species in the trials. Mountain pine beetle (Dendroctonus ponderosae) caused heavy mortality in lodgepole pine in part of one trial, and Armillaria root disease caused widespread damage to western larch and Douglas-fir in the other trial. Western white pine from local seed sources were severely damaged by white pine blister rust (Cronartium ribicola) in both trials but a rust-resistant seed source used in one trial survived better. Frost damage reduced survival and growth of Douglas-fir in one trial and may have affected western white pine. Survival of two planted broadleaves (Betula papyrifera) and a hybrid of black cottonwood (Populus trichocarpa) and black poplar (Populus nigra) was severely reduced by drought. The results support ongoing efforts to broaden the number of species used in British Columbia reforestation programs.


2002 ◽  
Vol 17 (2) ◽  
pp. 66-74 ◽  
Author(s):  
David Brisco ◽  
Karel Klinka ◽  
Gordon Nigh

Abstract British Columbia's foresters currently use height growth curves developed with data from Montana to estimate the height and productivity of western larch (Larix occidentalis). The ability of the presently used curves to accurately predict the height growth of British Columbia's larch population is unknown. The production of new curves with local data could improve our ability to predict heights and allow increasingly precise yield projections in British Columbia. Data from 105 western larch stem analysis plots were collected from across the natural range of larch in British Columbia. The measured plots were naturally established, fire-origin, even-aged, and exhibited no indications of suppression or disease. A Richards function was fit to the data from each plot and used to generate height-age and site index information. Four models were fit to the plot data: conditioned logistic, Chapman Richards, conditioned Chapman Richards, and conditioned Weibull. The Chapman Richards model had the best fit to the data, although all four models had similar fit statistics. Overall, the Chapman Richards model is slightly more accurate at estimating heights than the currently used model. West.J. Appl. For. 17(2):66–74.


2009 ◽  
Vol 39 (12) ◽  
pp. 2319-2331 ◽  
Author(s):  
L. W. Gyug ◽  
C. Steeger ◽  
I. Ohanjanian

We characterized Williamson’s Sapsucker ( Sphyrapicus thyroideus (Cassin, 1852)) nest trees in southern British Columbia from 1995 to 2008 to determine the nesting requirements of this endangered species in Canada. In the East Kootenay (n = 32) and the Okanagan (n = 157) regions where western larch ( Larix occidentalis Nutt.) occurred, 81% and 75% of the nest trees were western larch, respectively. In regions west of the Okanagan Valley where western larch did not occur (n = 73), 77% of the nest trees were trembling aspen ( Populus tremuloides Michx.). Conifer nest trees were larger (72 cm DBH), on average, than broad-leaved nest trees (35 cm DBH), and this pattern was consistent across the breeding range of Williamson’s Sapsucker. Live western larch >67 cm DBH with either broken or dead tops were the trees with the highest frequency (20%) among the trees estimated to be suitable for nesting, primarily because these larch tended to be infected with heart rots. Based on observed densities, targets should be 1.36 suitable nest trees/ha in managed stands, although in many instances such as aspen patches, this target will only be met in portions of the nesting territories. The recommended stand structure for long-term maintenance of high nest-tree density in western larch stands is for ≥20 trees/ha with DBHs >57 cm and 60–150 trees/ha with DBHs >22 cm.


Forests ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (5) ◽  
pp. 597
Author(s):  
Jacob A. Reely ◽  
Andrew S. Nelson

Environmental conditions and seedling quality interact to produce complex patterns of seedling survival and growth. Root growth potential (RGP) is one metric of seedling quality that can be rapidly measured prior to planting, but the correlation of RGP and seedling performance is not consistent across studies. Site factors including microsite objects that cast shade and competing vegetation can also influence seedling performance. We examined the effects of RGP, presence/absence of a microsite object, and competition cover on the survival and growth of three native conifers to the Inland Northwest, USA, over 5 years. We found that RGP had no effect on the survival or growth of western larch (Larix occidentalis), Douglas fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii var. glauca), and grand fir (Abies grandis) at a mesic north aspect site and a xeric south aspect site. Comparatively, the presence of a microsite increased the odds of survival by 37% for western larch and 158% for grand fir, while the absence of forb cover increased the odds of survival of western larch by 72% and of grand fir by 26%. Douglas fir was less sensitive to microsites and competition. The strong effects of neighborhood conditions around seedlings help inform silvicultural practices to enhance the establishment of western larch and grand fir, including planting seedlings near shading objects and competition control, while these practices may not be as important for Douglas fir.


Plant Disease ◽  
2022 ◽  
Author(s):  
Francisco Beluzán ◽  
Xavier Miarnau ◽  
Laura Torguet ◽  
Lourdes Zazurca ◽  
Paloma Abad-Campos ◽  
...  

Twenty-five almond cultivars were assessed for susceptibility to Diaporthe amygdali, causal agent of twig canker and shoot blight disease. In laboratory experiments, growing twigs were inoculated with four D. amygdali isolates. Moreover, growing shoots of almond cultivars grafted onto INRA ‘GF-677’ rootstock were used in four-year field inoculations with one D. amygdali isolate. In both type of experiments, inoculum consisted of agar plugs with mycelium, which were inserted underneath the bark and the lesion lengths caused by the fungus were measured. Necrotic lesions were observed in the inoculated almond cultivars both in laboratory and field tests, confirming the susceptibility of all the evaluated cultivars to all the inoculated isolates of D. amygdali. Cultivars were grouped as susceptible or very susceptible according to a cluster analysis. The relationship between some agronomic traits and cultivar susceptibility was also investigated. Blooming and ripening times were found relevant variables to explain cultivars performance related to D. amygdali susceptibility. Late and very late blooming, and early and medium ripening cultivars were highly susceptible to D. amygdali. Our results may provide valuable information that could assist in ongoing breeding programs of this crop and additionally in the selection of cultivars for new almond plantations.


1989 ◽  
Vol 4 (1) ◽  
pp. 10-13 ◽  
Author(s):  
Andrew C. Mason ◽  
David L. Adams

Abstract Bear damage was at least five times higher in thinned blocks than in adjacent unthinned blocks of western larch (Larix occidentalis), lodgepole pine (Pinus contorta), and Engelmann spruce (Picea engelmannii) on the Kootenai National Forest in northwest Montana. Western larch suffered the greatest damage (63% of all trees damaged and 92% of the trees killed). Damaged larch ranged from 4 to 13 in. dbh; the 4 to 8-in. dbh class accounted for 85% of the damage. Douglas-fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii), western redcedar (Thuja plicata), subalpine fir (Abies lasiocarpa), western white pine (Pinus monticola), and western hemlock (Tsuga heterophylla) were not damaged. Stand projections showed up to a 17% reduction in board-foot yield from bear damage, after 50 years, compared with hypothetical undamaged stands. West. J. Appl. For. 4(1):10-13, January 1989.


2013 ◽  
Vol 14 (1) ◽  
pp. 2 ◽  
Author(s):  
B. Henricot ◽  
E. Wedgwood

Cylindrocladium buxicola causes a damaging blight disease on boxwood which has spread rapidly throughout Europe since introduction of the pathogen in England in the mid 1990s. The pathogen has also been recently identified in the USA and British Columbia. The disease is difficult to control using cultural methods and information about chemical control is lacking. To address this, preventative and curative foliar fungicide sprays previously shown in laboratory tests to have efficacy were evaluated over two autumn/winter seasons in the UK. Results from the first autumn/winter season showed that the premix product Opponent (epoxiconazole + kresoxim-methyl + pyraclostrobin) was the best treatment when applied preventatively 3 days before inoculation. In the second autumn/winter season, curative treatment of diseased plants was best achieved with a weekly program of fungicides starting 3 days before inoculation and alternating with two or three products including Bravo (chlorothalonil), Signum (boscalid + pyraclostrobin), and Octave (prochloraz). The only fungicide tested and available to amateur growers in the UK, Fungus Clear (penconazole), was found to give moderate control of boxwood blight. Accepted for publication 7 August 2012. Published 24 October 2013.


2007 ◽  
Vol 22 (2) ◽  
pp. 94-98 ◽  
Author(s):  
Fred L. Bunnell ◽  
Trevor Goward ◽  
Isabelle Houde ◽  
Curtis Björk

Abstract In many areas Bryoria lichen is a major winter food for deer and caribou. We examined the role of western larch (Larix occidentalis) seed trees in retaining arboreal lichens and encouraging recolonization of regenerating stands by Bryoria. Although exposed to desiccation, Bryoria was sustained in significant amounts in larch seed trees. Other than a reduction near roads, apparently by alkaline road dust, arboreal forage lichens were relatively uniformly distributed throughout the regenerating stands. There was little difference in abundance up to 135 m from the source tree. The sorediate form of the lichens did better on lodgepole pine (Pinus contorta), and larger, nonsorediate fragments were more abundant on western larch. We attribute the difference to bark pH. Scattered western larch seed trees were effective at retaining lichens and facilitating recolonization of the regenerating stand.


Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document