Pathogenicity of Fungi Associated with Stem Cankers of Eucalypts in Tasmania, Australia

Abstract

Thirteen stem-infecting fungal species, 11 from Tasmania and 2 from other parts of southeast Australia, were tested for their pathogenicity on 12-month-old seedlings of Eucalyptus nitens and E. globulus. They were classified into three groups based on their ability to cause stem canker lesions following artificial inoculation: pathogenic species (Phoma sp., Endothia gyrosa, and Seiridium eucalypti), intermediate or weakly pathogenic species (Botryosphaeria sp., Seiridium papillatum, Pestalotiopsis neglecta, Zythiostroma sp., Ceuthospora innumera, Cytospora eucalypticola, and Wuestneia epispora), and nonpathogenic species (Dinemasporium strigosum, Seiridium unicorne, and Harknessia aff. eucalypti). The potential threat of canker fungi, especially Endothia gyrosa, to plantation forestry in Australia is discussed.