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Ceratocystis polonica and Heterobasidion parviporum are important fungal pathogens in Norway spruce ( Picea abies). Tree susceptibility to these pathogens with respect to phenology was studied using artificial fungal inoculations at six stages of bud development, and assessed by measuring phloem necroses in the stems of 2- and 8-year-old trees. Tree capacity for resistance was assessed by measuring phloem nonstructural carbohydrates at each stage. Phloem necroses were significantly larger in trees with fungal versus control inoculations and increased significantly over time. Changes in nonstructural carbohydrates occurred in the trees; a significant decline in starch and a slight but significant increase in total sugars occurred over time. These results suggest that susceptibility to fungal pathogens and carbohydrate levels in the stems of the trees were related to fine-scale changes in bud development. A trade-off may occur between allocation of starch (the major fraction of the stem carbohydrate pool) to bud development/shoot growth versus defence of the stem. Previous tests of plant defence hypotheses have focused on herbivory on plants growing under different environmental conditions, but the role of phenology and the effect of pathogens are also important to consider in understanding plant resource allocation patterns. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The pathogenicity and growth of six cultures of the bark-beetle-associated blue-stain fungus Ceratocystis polonica were compared. Four were subcultures, established at different times, of the same isolate (80–53/7), and at least one of these was suspected to have lost its pathogenicity to Norway spruce (Picea abies) during subculturing. Two other cultures (93–208/115 and 94–169/13) were pathogenic. The pathogenicity of all cultures to Norway spruce was compared in three inoculation experiments, using (i) massive inoculation (≈144 inoculations per tree), (ii) low-density inoculation (14 inoculations per tree) of larger trees and (iii) single inoculation of 2-year-old seedlings. Fungal growth rates were tested in vitro on malt agar, and on malt agar under oxygen-deficient conditions. Isolates 93–208/115 and 94–169/13 and one of the subcultures of isolate 80–53/7 were pathogenic in all three inoculation experiments. Two other subcultures were nonpathogenic, while the last subculture was intermediate. The pathogenic cultures had higher growth rates on malt agar than the nonpathogenic and intermediate cultures, and they also grew better under oxygen-deficient conditions. These results demonstrate that blue-stain fungi may lose their pathogenicity after serial vegetative transfers on artificial substrates. The results are also consistent with the hypothesis that rapid growth and the ability to grow in oxygen-poor environments are important pathogenicity factors in blue-stain fungi. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary Three clones of Norway spruce (Picea abies) were studied for their response to mass-inoculation with the blue-stain fungus Ceratocystis polonica. The effect of different pretreatments (fungal inoculation and wounding) before mass-inoculation was investigated for their possible role in an acquired resistance reaction. Pretreated trees showed enhanced resistance to the subsequent mass-inoculation relative to control trees that received no pretreatment. Furthermore, the fungal colonization of inoculated trees was less than that of wounded trees. The phenolic content of the bark, analysed by RP-HPLC, was compared in trees receiving different treatments. Trees inoculated with C. polonica had higher average concentration of (+)-catechin, taxifolin and trans-resveratrol than wounded trees. Both inoculated and wounded trees had higher average concentrations of these compounds than control trees. The effect of the phenolic extract of Norway spruce bark on the growth of the root rot fungus Heterobasidion annosum and the blue-stain fungi C. polonica and Ophiostoma penicillatum were investigated in vitro. Heterobasidion annosum was not negatively affected, and the extracts had fungistatic effects on the blue-stain fungi. The growth of O. penicillatum was more inhibited than the growth of the more aggressive C. polonica. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Norway spruce trees (Picea abies (L.) Karst.) pretreated by wounding and fungal infection showed highly enhanced resistance to a subsequent challenge inoculation with the pathogenic bluestain fungus Ceratocystis polonica (Siem.) C. Moreau. This is the first time the effectiveness of the constitutive and inducible defenses has been shown to depend on prior wounding and infection in conifers, although such acquired resistance has previously been found in several angiosperms. Trees that were pretreated with a combination of 12 bark wounds (1.6 × 10 cm), four fungal inoculations and four sterile inoculations 1–15 days before mass inoculation with C. polonica at 400 inoculations per square meter over a 0.8 m stem section had significantly shorter necroses in the phloem, less bluestained sapwood, and less dead cambium than untreated control trees. Pretreatment with four fungal or sterile inoculations alone did not lead to enhanced resistance. Pretreatment by bark wounding alone seemed to provide an intermediate degree of resistance compared to bark wounding, fungal inoculations and sterile inoculations combined. All trees had a marked increase in the number of resin ducts in the year of inoculation compared with previous years, suggesting that formation of traumatic resin ducts play an important role in the development and maintainance of enhanced resistance. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]