BIOCONTROL OF THE CHESTNUT BLIGHT FUNGUS CRYPHONECTRIA PARASITICA

Summary Chestnut blight disease has devastated the American chestnut [Castanea dentata (Marsh.) Borkh.] in eastern forests of North America. Biocontrol efforts on European chestnut (Castanea sativa Mill.) using hypovirulent strains of the blight fungus Cryphonectria parasitica (Murr.) Barr have been successful, while similar efforts on C. dentata in North America have been unsuccessful. This study explores the use of endogenous bark fungi from healthy American chestnut as potential biocontrol organisms against C parasitica. An antagonistic isolate of Trichoderma spp. with good biocontrol potential against C. parasitica was found and evaluated on American chestnut. Such antagonistic bark fungi may be useful as components of biocontrol strategies against the chestnut blight disease both in North American and in Europe.