A new canker disease of Abies sibirica caused by a Corinectria species in Central Siberia (RU)
Since 2006, a new canker disease of Abies sibirica (Siberian fir) has been observed in the Eastern Sayan Mountains in Central Siberia, Russia. Affected trees showed stem and branch cankers, cambium necrosis, and dieback of branches and twigs, followed by the development of round, red fungal fruiting bodies. The disease was mainly found on relatively young trees, and often resulted in their death. From 2006 to 2010, the disease remained confined to the same area, but then started to spread northwards and by 2017, it was estimated that it had spread over a distance of more than 450 km. Fungal isolates could be obtained from symptomatic tissues of A. sibirica, and phylogenenetic analyses showed that the most commonly isolated ones belonged to one (or possibly two species) of Corinectria, and were distinct from other known Corinectria species. Pathogenicity tests with 2 isolates were also carried out on saplings and seedlings of A. sibirica, as well as on seed and seedlings of Picea abies. Results showed that these isolates were able to kill A. sibirica saplings and seedlings. In addition, they were able to reduce growth and kill some Picea abies seedlings. It is concluded that further research is needed to describe Corinectria species associated with this new canker disease of A. sibirica, as well as to better understand its origin and ecology and estimate its potential to invade new geographic areas, in particular in Europe.
Sources
Pavlov I, Vasaitis R, Litovka YA, Stenlid J, Jankovsky L, Timofeev A, Menkis A (2020) Occurrence and pathogenicity of Corinectria spp. – an emerging canker disease of Abies sibirica in Central Siberia. Scientific Reports 10, 5597. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-020-62566-y