Ophiostomatoid fungi associated with Ips cembrae in Japan and their pathogenicity to Japanese larch

Six ophiostomatoid fungi, i.e., Ceratocystiopsis minuta, Ceratocystis laricicola, Ophiostoma brunneo-ciliatum, O. laricis, O. piceae and Ophiostoma sp., were isolated from the galleries of Ips cembrae on Japanese larch (Larix kaempferi) logs in central Honshu, Japan. Japanese larch trees approximately 30 yr old were inoculated with all six fungi. Ceratocystis laricicola produced the largest lesions on the inner bark around the inoculation point and the largest dry zone in the sapwood. Furthermore, C. laricicola was the only fungus associated with I. cembrae that had the ability to kill Japanese larch, death occurring in 30-yr-old trees within 3.5 mo after inoculation.