Ten-year growth and mortality in young Douglas-fir stands experiencing a range in Swiss needle cast severity

2011 ◽  
Vol 41 (10) ◽  
pp. 2064-2076 ◽  
Author(s):  
Douglas A. Maguire ◽  
Douglas B. Mainwaring ◽  
Alan Kanaskie
Keyword(s):  
Disease Severity ◽  
Growth Period ◽  
Douglas Fir ◽  
Permanent Plots ◽  
Annual Increment ◽  
Needle Age ◽  
Needle Cast ◽  
Needle Retention ◽  
Swiss Needle Cast ◽  
Annual Mortality

Swiss needle cast, a foliar disease caused by the Ascomycete Phaeocryptopus gaeumannii (T. Rohde) Petr., continues to afflict Douglas-fir ( Pseudotsuga menziesii (Mirb.) Franco) in north coastal Oregon. Permanent plots were installed in 1998 to assess growth impacts and monitor disease severity. Gross periodic annual increment was measured for three 2-year growth periods and one 4-year growth period and ranged from 0.37 to 31.74 m3·ha–1·year–1. Foliage retention, defined as the average number of annual needle age classes held by a tree, was also estimated as an index of disease severity. Assuming negligible losses in stands with maximum needle retention (approximately 3.9 years), growth losses in net periodic annual increment reached slightly over 50% in stands with the lowest needle retention (approximately 1 year). Mixed-effects regression models supported a consistent relationship between foliage retention and both gross and net periodic annual increment among the four growth periods. Periodic annual mortality ranged from 0 to 19.12 m3·ha–1·year–1 but was not significantly influenced by Swiss needle cast as measured by average foliage retention. Minimum and maximum foliage retention has fluctuated annually from 1998 to 2008 on the permanent plots, but growth losses at a given level of foliage retention appear to have remained stable. Estimated growth losses are similar to those reported for comparable levels of defoliation by other agents.

scholarly journals Incidence and Impact of Swiss Needle Cast in Forest Plantations of Douglas-fir in Coastal Oregon

Plant Disease ◽  
2000 ◽  
Vol 84 (7) ◽  
pp. 773-778 ◽  
Author(s):  
E. M. Hansen ◽  
J. K. Stone ◽  
B. R. Capitano ◽  
P. Rosso ◽  
W. Sutton ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Severe Disease ◽  
Tree Height ◽  
Aerial Survey ◽  
Douglas Fir ◽  
Permanent Plots ◽  
Forest Plantations ◽  
Needle Age ◽  
Needle Cast ◽  
Needle Retention ◽  
Swiss Needle Cast

An epidemic of Swiss needle cast, caused by the ascomycete Phaeocryptopus gaeumannii, is causing defoliation and growth reductions in Douglas-fir forest plantations along the Oregon Coast. The area of symptomatic plantations has been monitored annually since 1996 by aerial survey; in spring 1999, 119,500 ha were affected. Pathogen and symptom development have also been monitored on nine permanent plots in stands of differing disease severity. Infection levels and symptom severity are greatest in low elevation plantations close to the coast. In areas of severe disease, trees retain only current year needles. Defoliation is proportional to the number of stomata occluded by pseudothecia of the fungus, with needles being shed when about 50% of stomata are occupied, regardless of needle age. Fungus sporulation and premature needle abscission are greatest on the upper branches of trees. Annual application of fungicides increases needle retention significantly. Tree height and diameter growth and total tree volume are reduced by disease, and tree volume is significantly correlated with needle retention on our plot trees. The epidemic continues to be most severe in Douglas-fir plantations established on sites where Sitka spruce and western hemlock or red alder predominated in earlier times.

scholarly journals Predicting Swiss Needle Cast Disease Distribution and Severity in Young Douglas-Fir Plantations in Coastal Oregon

2003 ◽  
Vol 93 (7) ◽  
pp. 790-798 ◽  
Author(s):  
Pablo H. Rosso ◽  
Everett M. Hansen
Keyword(s):  
Prediction Model ◽  
Disease Severity ◽  
Pacific Northwest ◽  
Regression Tree ◽  
Douglas Fir ◽  
Slope Aspect ◽  
Disease Prediction ◽  
Needle Cast ◽  
Swiss Needle Cast ◽  
The Relationship

Swiss needle cast (SNC), caused by the fungus Phaeocryptopus gaeumannii, is producing extensive defoliation and growth reduction in Douglas-fir forest plantations along the Pacific Northwest coast. An SNC disease prediction model for the coastal area of Oregon was built by establishing the relationship between the distribution of disease and the environment. A ground-based disease survey (220 plots) was used to study this relationship. Two types of regression approaches, multiple linear regression and regression tree, were used to study the relationship between disease severity and climate, topography, soil, and forest stand characteristics. Fog occurrence, precipitation, temperature, elevation, and slope aspect were the variables that contributed to explain most of the variability in disease severity, as indicated by both the multiple regression (r 2 = 0.57) and regression tree (RMD = 0.27) analyses. The resulting regression model was used to construct a disease prediction map. Findings agree with and formalize our previous understanding of the ecology of SNC: warmer and wetter conditions, provided that summer temperatures are relatively low, appear to increase disease severity. Both regression approaches have characteristics that can be useful in helping to improve our understanding of the ecology of SNC. The prediction model is able to produce a continuous prediction surface, suitable for hypothesis testing and assisting in disease management and research.

Swiss needle cast tolerance in British Columbia’s coastal Douglas-fir breeding population

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
David Montwé ◽  
Bryan Elder ◽  
Peter Socha ◽  
Jessica Wyatt ◽  
David Noshad ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Quantitative Polymerase Chain Reaction ◽  
Signs And Symptoms ◽  
Tree Breeding ◽  
Breeding Population ◽  
Douglas Fir ◽  
Early Screening ◽  
Needle Cast ◽  
Needle Retention ◽  
Swiss Needle Cast ◽  
Fungal Dna

Abstract Substantial growth losses in Douglas-fir can be the result of Swiss needle cast, a foliar disease caused by the fungus Nothophaeocryptopus gaeumannii. Although the disease is native to western North America, it is expected to become increasingly problematic in regions where climates become warmer in winter and wetter in spring, such as in coastal British Columbia (BC), Canada. Previous research suggests that tolerance to this disease is under partial genetic control. We therefore aim to screen for tolerance and resistance to the disease in the tree breeding population of coastal Douglas-fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii var. menziesii) in BC. We evaluated if early screening for resistance or tolerance to this disease is possible. We worked with 32 families grown for 18-years on two full-sibling genetic field trial sites representing different climates. We assessed >900 trees for disease signs and symptoms from 2017 to 2019. Needle retention was assessed in the field. In the laboratory, the proportion of stomata occluded with pseudothecia was measured, deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) was extracted, and the proportion of fungal DNA in the needles was assessed using quantitative polymerase chain reaction. Strong differences were observed among families for needle retention, stomatal occlusion and fungal load. The milder and wetter site closer to the coast was generally more severely affected. Families showed rank changes between the two sites for all response variables. Higher needle retention was correlated with increased tree volume. No correlation was found between the proportion of stomata occluded with pseudothecia, fungal DNA load and needle retention. These results indicate that a more complex pathology is involved in causing needle loss. We conclude that screening for Swiss needle cast tolerance in the coastal BC Douglas-fir breeding population is possible if needle retention can be assessed and that area-specific deployment strategies may be needed given family rank changes in different environments.

scholarly journals Developing breeding and deployment options for Douglas-fir in New Zealand: breeding for future forest conditions

2012 ◽  
Vol 61 (1-6) ◽  
pp. 104-115 ◽  
Author(s):  
H. S. Dungey ◽  
C. B. Low ◽  
J. Lee ◽  
M. A. Miller ◽  
K. Fleet ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
New Zealand ◽  
Acoustic Velocity ◽  
Douglas Fir ◽  
Climate Modelling ◽  
Needle Cast ◽  
Needle Retention ◽  
Genetic Gains ◽  
Recent Climate ◽  
Stem Straightness ◽  
Swiss Needle Cast

AbstractGenetic improvement of Douglas-fir in New Zealand was initiated in 1955 with large provenance trials established in the late 1950’s. These trials illustrated that material from the coast of Oregon and California grew faster than other provenances tested. Further collections were made to evaluate provenance and familylevel performance from these two areas, and in 1996 additional trials were established at four low-altitude sites across New Zealand. Genotype×environment (GxE) interaction among these sites was found to be important for diameter at breast height (DBH), less important for stem straightness and malformation and not important for outerwood acoustic velocity (a surrogate for wood stiffness). Heritabilities were low to moderate for all growth traits, and very low for malformation. Heritability for needle cast due to Swiss needle cast, measured as needle retention on the one site where infection was relatively high, was moderate at 0.37, and was likely a major factor creating GxE interactions for growth among sites. The heritability of wood acoustic velocity was moderate to high at individual sites (0.26-0.74) and across sites (0.49). Individual- trait selection revealed the potential for good genetic gains to be made when selecting the top 20 families for diameter growth (an average of 10.7%), straightness (an average of 11.5%) and acoustic velocity (an average of 7.0%). When we examined predicted genetic gains while selecting for needle retention and/or DBH, we found that selecting for needle cast at the affected site did not compromise DBH gains at that site. Selecting for genotypes with low needle cast at the affected site did, however, reduce gains for DBH estimated across all sites. In order to maximise gains across the current Douglas-fir growing estate, a division of growing sites between those known and predicted to be affected by needle cast and those not affected would seem appropriate. This is particularly relevant given recent climate modelling work suggests that Swiss needle cast will become more important in the South Island, and even more destructive in the North Island of New Zealand. We suggest addressing differences in site through the development of separate deployment populations.

Tree-ring analysis of the fungal disease Swiss needle cast in western Oregon coastal forests

2013 ◽  
Vol 43 (8) ◽  
pp. 677-690 ◽  
Author(s):  
E. Henry Lee ◽  
Peter A. Beedlow ◽  
Ronald S. Waschmann ◽  
Connie A. Burdick ◽  
David C. Shaw
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Disease Severity ◽  
Tree Ring ◽  
Summer Precipitation ◽  
Fungal Disease ◽  
Douglas Fir ◽  
Needle Cast ◽  
Introduced Range ◽  
Swiss Needle Cast ◽  
The Impact

Swiss needle cast (SNC), an important fungal disease of Douglas-fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii (Mirb.) Franco), has increased in severity throughout its natural and introduced range over the last half century. The role of climate change and forest management practices in the increase is unclear. We analyzed tree-ring chronologies from six late-successional Douglas-fir stands in the western Oregon Coast Range using time-series intervention analysis (TSIA) to address how climate relates to the impact of SNC on tree growth. Tree-ring chronologies of western hemlock (Tsuga heterophylla (Raf.) Sarg.), a species not susceptible to the fungus Phaeocryptopus gaeumannii (Rhode) Petrak, were used as a climate proxy in the TSIA. We found that growth reductions associated with SNC dated back to the 1590s, the earliest record in our dendritic data. Growth reductions were synchronous across the six sites, indicating that the disease severity was largely influenced by climatic conditions. SNC impact peaked in 1984–1986 at all six study sites, followed by unprecedented disease impacts of 100% in 1996 and 2004 at one site, while decreasing to previous levels at the other five sites. Our SNC index of impact significantly correlated with winter and summer temperatures and summer precipitation. Winter conditions were more strongly associated with disease impact at wetter, cooler sites, whereas summer conditions were more important at less humid, warmer sites. With climate change, SNC impacts are likely to increase in coastal areas where June–July precipitation is much higher than the P. gaeumannii-limiting threshold of ∼110 mm, and decrease where summer precipitation is at or below the threshold. Warmer winters will increase disease severity at higher elevation, north along the coast from northern Oregon to British Columbia, and at inland sites where current winter temperatures limit fungal growth.

Impact of the foliar pathogen Swiss needle cast on wood quality of Douglas-fir

2005 ◽  
Vol 35 (2) ◽  
pp. 331-339 ◽  
Author(s):  
G R Johnson ◽  
Amy T Grotta ◽  
Barbara L Gartner ◽  
Geoff Downes
Keyword(s):  
Moisture Content ◽  
Wood Density ◽  
Wood Quality ◽  
Ring Width ◽  
Wood Properties ◽  
Douglas Fir ◽  
Needle Cast ◽  
Needle Retention ◽  
Foliar Pathogen ◽  
Swiss Needle Cast

Many stands of Douglas-fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii (Mirb.) Franco) near coastal areas of Oregon and Washington are heavily infected with the foliar pathogen causing Swiss needle cast (SNC) disease, and yet there is very little research on the resulting wood quality. Modulus of elasticity (MOE), modulus of rupture (MOR), microfibril angle (MFA), wood density, latewood proportion, and sapwood moisture content were examined in 20- to 28-year-old trees from 15 stands that were infected with varying intensities of SNC. SNC severity was quantified by measuring needle retention, the number of needle cohorts retained at three crown levels. Correlations between disease severity and wood properties were examined at both the stand and within-stand levels. Trees from heavily infected stands (needle retention <2 years) had higher MOE, wood density, and latewood proportion and lower sapwood moisture content than trees from healthier stands. Breast-height age (BHage) was also correlated with these properties, but age alone did not explain all of the increases. MFA was not associated with SNC severity. Within stands, needle retention was not associated with MOE or MOR. The increase in latewood proportion in diseased stands appears to be the driving factor behind their increase in stiffness (MOE). Ring width decreased with decreased needle retention, and the examined wood properties generally showed stronger correlations with ring width than with needle retention.

Douglas-fir foliage retention dynamics across a gradient of Swiss needle cast in coastal Oregon and Washington

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gabriela Ritokova ◽  
Douglas B. Mainwaring ◽  
David Carl Shaw ◽  
Yung-Hsiang Lan
Keyword(s):  
Disease Severity ◽  
Normal Growth ◽  
Douglas Fir ◽  
Individual Tree ◽  
Entire Study ◽  
Needle Cast ◽  
Negatively Associated ◽  
Growth Metrics ◽  
Swiss Needle Cast ◽  
Plot Network

Swiss needle cast (SNC) is an important foliage disease of Douglas-fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii) caused by the native pathogen Nothophaeocryptopus gaeumannii, that has been present in epidemic proportions since the 1990s in coastal Douglas-fir forests. Under conducive environmental and stand conditions, the fungal fruiting bodies emerge on young needles, inhibiting gas exchange and causing premature needle casting and subsequent growth losses. Using a new regional plot network, which extends and approximately doubles the area of SNC-susceptible coastal forest sampled, we investigated the distribution of SNC disease indices across the region, and throughout individual tree crowns. Foliage retention varied from 1.15 to 3.9 years and disease severity (incidence x % occluded stomata) ranged from 0.05 to 52.11%. Foliage retention was positively correlated with distance from the coast and elevation. Foliage retention and disease severity were found to be negatively associated across the study area. Within crowns, disease severity was negatively associated with crown depth, and foliage retention was positively associated with crown depth, regardless of distance from coast. Across the entire study, foliage retention was found to decrease and disease severity increase with latitude, all else being equal. Tree growth metrics are positively associated with increasing foliage retention, and normal growth occurs greater than ~3.2 years.

Provenance variation for disease resistance in Pseudotsugamenziesii to the Swiss needle-cast pathogen, Phaeocryptopusgaeumannii

1989 ◽  
Vol 19 (2) ◽  
pp. 244-246 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. M. McDermott ◽  
R. A. Robinson
Keyword(s):  
Disease Resistance ◽  
Block Design ◽  
Douglas Fir ◽  
Needle Cast ◽  
Provenance Variation ◽  
Needle Retention ◽  
University Of British Columbia ◽  
Biological Stress ◽  
Swiss Needle Cast ◽  
The University

Nine provenances of Douglas-fir, Pseudotsugamenziesii, were examined for the presence of Swiss needle-cast pathogen, Phaeocryptopusgaeumannii, in a plantation at the University of British Columbia Research Forest, Haney, B.C. The provenances were represented in a randomized complete block design. A severe epidemic of Swiss needle cast had persisted in the plantation for a number of years. Fructification of the fungus on more than 75% of the foliage provided an opportunity to assess provenance variation in disease resistance. Analysis of variance demonstrated that there are significant differences among provenances in resistance, as indicated by needle retention, to the Swiss needle-cast pathogen. Linear regression indicated a positive relationship between needle loss and the proportion of the remaining needles with pseudothecia. Provenance variation for needle retention and fructifying needles both correlate strongly with rainfall data from the meteorological station nearest to each provenance origin. This result is consistent with the hypothesis that the provenances of Douglas-fir may have evolved in response to selection pressure imposed by the biological stress of Swiss needle-cast disease.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document