scholarly journals Ash dieback and contributing factors of forest weakening in provenance tests in the Sumy region

2021 ◽  
Vol 67 (2) ◽  
pp. 113-121
Author(s):  
Valentyna Meshkova ◽  
Viacheslav Samoday ◽  
Kateryna Davydenko

Abstract The aim of this study was to evaluate the health condition of Fraxinus excelsior L. in provenance tests, with special focus on ash dieback (ADB), but taking into account also other causes of its decline. The research was carried out in the provenance tests of F. excelsior in the forest-steppe part of the Sumy region. ADB symptoms were revealed in all provenance tests. For 2012–2019 the health condition index, ADB incidence and severity increased for all provenances except the Steppe. Collar rot was present in all ash provenances. Fungi species were isolated from the stem parts of ash at all provenances. Hymenoscyphus fraxineus induced longest necrotic lesions following wound inoculation of stems of 7–10-years-old plants of European ash in the forest while inoculation with both Cytospora sp. and Diplodia sp. resulted in smaller necroses. The conclusion from other regions about the coincidence the damage of European ash by ADB and collar rots as well as the coincidence the damage of European ash by collar rot and tree colonization by Hylesinus crenatus (Fabricius, 1787) is supported.

Author(s):  
V. L. Meshkova ◽  
V. L. Borysova ◽  
Yu. Ye. Skrylnik ◽  
O. V. Zinchenko

Average health condition index of European ash (Fraxinus excelsior L.) in inspected stands of the State Enterprise “Trostyanetske Forest Economy” is 2 points. European ash mortality was the highest in Krasnyanske forestry (0.8 % and 3.5 % of recently died trees and the trees died over a year ago respectively). The highest proportion of healthy European ash trees were inspected in Makivske and Krasnyanske forestries (85.3 % and 50.1 % respectively). The trees of European ash of the 1st category of health condition can be reliably distinguished from the trees of other categories of health condition. A total score of “0” for all parameters of health condition (defoliation, dieback, and epicormic shoots occurrence) reliably points the healthy tree. The trees can be assigned to the 1st category of health condition with defoliation, caused by insects, up to 50 %, with up to 10 % dry branches and single epicormic shoots. Multiple epicormic shoots are characteristic for the trees of the 3rd category of health condition. Ambiguous results in distinguishing of European ash trees of the 2nd and the 3rd, the 3rd and the 4th categories of health condition confirm the need for improvement of its assessment and annual monitoring the forest health at key plots.


2018 ◽  
Vol 1 (1) ◽  
pp. 48-58 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tim L. R. Coker ◽  
Jiří Rozsypálek ◽  
Anne Edwards ◽  
Tony P. Harwood ◽  
Louise Butfoy ◽  
...  

Author(s):  
В.Л. Мешкова ◽  
В.Л. Борисова

Цель исследования – оценка состояния ясеневых насаждений в условиях свежего груда (D2 по классификации Алексеева–Погребняка) – наиболее распространенного типа лесорастительных условий в лесостепной части Харьковской области. На 2-х постоянных пробных площадях (ПП) оценивали дефолиацию крон деревьев ясеня в конце июня и категорию санитарного состояния этих деревьев в конце июля или в августе. Индекс санитарного состояния насаждений определяли по коли­честву деревьев, по доле площади поперечного сечения стволов и по доле объема стволов, представленных в каждой категории санитарного состояния. Все показатели рассчитывали по всем деревьям (II–VI) и по жизнеспособным деревьям I–IV категорий санитарного состояния (II–IV). Дефолиация крон ясеня составила в среднем 35 ± 3%, на отдельных ПП – от 13,2 до 61,5%, а на индивидуальных деревьях – от 5 до 75%. Индекс санитарного состояния насаждений достоверно коррелирует с дефолиацией. Более высокий уровень дефолиации деревьев с большими диаметром и высотой подтвержден дисперсионным анализом. Связь дефолиации крон и индексов санитарного состояния ясеня с его участием в составе насаждений не подтверждена статистически. Обследованные насаждения ясеня обыкновенного относятся к кате­гории ослабленных или сильно ослабленных, а насаждения на ПП-3 и ПП-4 – к категории усыхающих. На ПП-9, ПП-19 и ПП-22 относительный диаметр деревьев IV категории санитарного состояния значительно превышал единицу (1,56, 1,36 и 1,33 соответственно), а индекс санитарного состояния насаждений, вычислен­ный по доле площади поперечного сечения стволов, был выше, чем вычисленный по количеству деревьев. Это свидетельствует о том, что в данных насаждениях развиваются патологические процессы, причем с недавнего времени, что подтверждает низкая встречаемость сухостоя. The goal of the research was an evaluation of ash stands health condition in fresh grud (fresh fertile forest site conditions D2) (by the Alekseyev-Pogrebnyak classification), which is the most widespread forest site condition in the forest-steppe part of Kharkiv Region of Ukraine. Defoliation of European ash was assessed at the end of June, and a category of health condition was assessed in late July or August at 22 permanent sample plots (SP). Health condition index of the stands was calculated by the number of trees, by proportion of cross-sectional area and by proportion of stem volume in each category of health condition. All these indices of forest health condition were calculated separately for all trees (II–VI) and for viable trees of the categories I–IV of health condition (II–IV). Average defoliation of European ash was 35 ± 3%, in certain permanent sample plots it varied from 13.2 to 61.5%, and for individual trees varied from 5 to 75%. Health condition index significantly correlates with defoliation. The higher defoliation of trees with greater diameter and height is proved by analysis of variances. Correlation of defoliation with the proportion of ash in the stand composition and with stand age was not proved statistically. Inspected ash stands were classified as the category «weakened» or «severely weakened», and the stands in the sample plots SP-3 and SP-4 were classified as the category «drying (dying)». Relative diameter of trees of the category IV of health condition in SP-9, SP-19, and SP-22 considerably exceeded 1 (1.56, 1.36 and 1.33, respectively). Health condition index, calculated by cross-sectional area, exceeded the index, calculated by tree number. It shows that pathological processes began to develop recently in these stands, which is supported by low occurrence of dead trees.


2020 ◽  
Vol 73 (1) ◽  
pp. 43-51
Author(s):  
Dmitrii A. Shabunin ◽  
Andrey V. Selikhovkin ◽  
Elena Yu. Varentsova ◽  
Dmitry L. Musolin

Abstract The weakening and decline of European ash Fraxinus excelsior L. and other ash species have been recorded at different locations in the suburbs of Saint Petersburg, Russia. During the summer of 2019 and spring of 2020, samples from leaves, petioles, and shoots were collected from the weakened and declining ash trees in three parks in Pushkin and Gatchina and maintained in humid chambers to induce the fructification of fungi. In total, 30 taxa of micromycetes belonging to 23 genera were identified using methods of light microscopy. Hymenoscyphus fraxineus, a putative agent of ash dieback, was not recorded in the samples collected in the crowns of trees, but only on the petioles of the fallen leaves in spring. Out of all the micromycetes recorded, only coelomycetes from the genus Diplodia Fr. (in particular, D. mutila) can damage the branches of ash trees and, thus, be considered pathogenic. It is likely that H. fraxineus opens “the entry of infection” and Diplodia spp. cause the major weakening and decline of branches. The data obtained can significantly change our understanding of the causes of ash dieback and possible methods of ash stand preservation. The reason for the low pathogenicity and activity of H. fraxineus, as well as the possible role of ascomycetes Diplodia spp. in the dieback of ash stands requires further research.


Plants ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (11) ◽  
pp. 2524
Author(s):  
Anna Hebda ◽  
Aleksandra Liszka ◽  
Piotr Zgłobicki ◽  
Katarzyna Nawrot-Chorabik ◽  
Jan J. Lyczakowski

The population of European ash (Fraxinus excelsior L.) is currently facing the risk of collapse, mainly due to ash dieback, a disease caused by a pathogenic fungus, Hymenoscyphus fraxineus. To facilitate studies into the molecular basis of ash dieback and design breeding strategies for a generation of resistant trees, it is necessary to develop tools enabling the study of gene function in F. excelsior. Despite this, a method for the genetic engineering of F. excelsior is still missing. Here, we report the first successful genetic transformation of F. excelsior callus and a selection process enabling the formation of stable transgenic callus lines. The protocol relies on the use of Agrobacterium tumefaciens to transform callus tissue derived from embryos of F. excelsior. In our experiments, we used the β-glucuronidase (GUS) reporter system to demonstrate the transformation of callus cells and performed RT-PCR experiments to confirm the stable expression of the transgene. Since ash dieback threatens the long-term stability of many native F. excelsior populations, we hope that the transformation techniques described in this manuscript will facilitate rapid progress in uncovering the molecular basis of the disease and the validation of gene targets previously proposed to be linked to the resistance of trees to H. fraxineus pathogenicity.


2021 ◽  
Vol 4 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marta Agostinelli ◽  
Diem Nguyen ◽  
Johanna Witzell ◽  
Michelle Cleary

For the last two decades, large-scale population decline of European ash (Fraxinus excelsior) has occurred in Europe because of the introduction of the alien fungal pathogen, Hymenoscyphus fraxineus, from East Asia. Since European ash is a keystone species having critical importance for biodiversity, and only a small percentage of the ash population appears to show some tolerance against the pathogen, the loss of ash trees means that other associated organisms, especially those with high or obligate associations to ash, are at risk of further species declines. In this study, we used high throughput DNA sequencing and multivariate analysis to characterize: (i) the mycobiome in aerial tissues (i.e., leaf, bark, and xylem) of ash trees showing different phenotypic response to ash dieback, (ii) the temporal variation in fungal communities across the growing season, and (iii) the similarity in fungal community structure between ash and other common trees species that may serve as an ecological niche substitute for ash microfungi. Results showed that fungal communities differed among the three tissue types, susceptibility classes, in time and between sites. Trophic analysis of functional groups using the FUNGuild tool indicated a higher presence of pathotrophic fungi in leaves than in bark and xylem. The share of pathotrophic fungi increased along a gradient of low to high disease susceptibility in both bark and xylem tissue, while the proportion of symbiotrophic fungi correspondingly decreased in both tissue types. Neighboring, alternative host trees did not share all the fungal species found in ash, however, most microfungi uniquely associated to ash in this study are generalists and not strictly host specific. The progressive disappearance of ash trees on the landscape imposes a high risk for extinction of Red-listed macrofungal species, and breeding for resistance against ash dieback should help sustain important biodiversity associated to ash. Microfungal diversity though may be less prone to such demise since most ash-associated endophytes appear to occur on a broad range of host species.


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
◽  
Ilze Matisone ◽  

The area of common ash forest is only 1–2% of the total forest area in Europe and 0.3% in Latvia. Prior to dieback, ash was an economically and still is ecologically highly important tree species. In Eastern Europe since the beginning of the 1990s, and a decade later throughout Central and Western Europe, rapid dieback of ash stands caused by an unknown reason was observed. In 2006 the causal agent of ash dieback – an anamorphic fungus Hymenoscyphus fraxineus (species name later refined) was determined. In Latvia, intensive dieback of ash stands has been observed since 2000. The aim of the thesis was to assess the dieback dynamics of common ash Fraxinus excelsior L. stands and determine the main factors affecting susceptibility of the trees, as well as future succession and potential regeneration of the affected common ash stands in Latvia. In Latvia, The area of young ash stands decreased by 4.4 times during 2000–2015. The ten-year-inventory (2005–2015) revealed that the overall mortality of ash was 6.9% and standing volume of ash stands decreased by 171 m3 ha–1. The obtained results indicated that regeneration of ash saplings in ash young stands as well as in mature stands was lower than in in the pre-dieback times, but regeneration was still successful. Furthermore, survival and health condition of ash saplings was relatively poor, as only ca. ⅓ of individuals were healthy, and the health condition decreased with aging. Overgrowth of ash stands with shrub species has begun, suggesting formation of broadleaved stands with a small admixture of ash in the future. We found that, susceptibility to ash dieback is significantly affected by morphometric parameters of ash trees and stands, site conditions and meteorological factors. In Latvia, ash dieback was present in ash stands of all ages and composition, yet some individual and regional differences were observed. Lower susceptibility to ash dieback was observed for older/larger dimensions trees, mixed stands on well-drained and dry mineral soils, stands thinned more intensively, and in the eastern part of Latvia. The findings of the thesis are applicable for the planning of ash stand management, assessment of the existing situation, for the designation of additional genetic resource forests, as well as provide basic information for future studies.


2019 ◽  
Vol 25 (2) ◽  
pp. 193-202
Author(s):  
Kateryna V Davydenko ◽  
Valentyna Borysova ◽  
Olena Shcherbak ◽  
Yevhen Kryshtop ◽  
Valentyna Meshkova

The health condition of European ash (Fraxinus excelsior) stands in Ukraine has become worse since 2006. Firstly, in 2011 an alien invasive pathogenic fungus Hymenoscyphus fraxineus was identified in the eastern part of the country and, subsequently, its presence was confirmed in the western and central parts. The aims of our research were to evaluate the health of ash trees and identify the main causes of ash decline in different regions of Ukraine with emphasis on ash dieback and its association with collar rots.    Results showed that since 2013 the number of trees with ash dieback symptoms has been gradually increasing, reaching up to 92 % in 2018. Total mortality due to ash dieback was up to 9 % in 2018. Disease intensity remains high in northern and central Ukraine comparing with the east. Branch dieback, collar rots, epicormic shoots and bacterial disease of ash occurred more often in the eastern region, some symptoms were observed simultaneously. Ash bark beetle galleries, as well as foliage browsing insects, were found mostly in weakened and/or dying trees.    It was indicated that collar rots significantly increase the mortality of ash trees. Armillaria spp. fungi were found to be frequently associated with ash dieback on living stems and fallen trees in 2017, causing high rates of mortality in the northern and central regions. For further ash conservation and breeding programmes, resistant trees in severely damaged regions should be selected to preserve genetic diversity in ash populations.                                                       Keywords: Fraxinus excelsior, ash dieback, collar rot, bacterial disease, epicormic shoots, Hymenoscyphus fraxineus, Armillaria spp.


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