INFECTION AND GROWTH OF HETEROBASIDION SPP. IN PICEA ABIES CONTROL BY PHLEBIOPSIS GIGANTEA STUMP TREATMENT

Control by Phlebiopsis gigantea stump treatment. Doctor’s dissertation. ISSN 1652-6880, ISBN 91-576-7035-8. In economical terms, species of Heterobasidion are among the most severe fungal pests in coniferous forests of the northern hemisphere. The fungi cause interior decay in the stem of trees and trees may also die as a cause of infection. Two species of Heterobasidion have been identified in Sweden, Heterobasidion annosum s.s. (Fr.) Bref. and Heterobasidion parviporum Niemelä & Korhonen. The former has been identified from southern to central Sweden whereas the latter is present throughout the whole country. Stump treatment, using chemical or biological treatment agents, is the most widely used silvicultural method to prevent infection by Heterobasidion. This thesis mainly focuses on different aspects of biological stump treatment using Phlebiopsis gigantea (Fr.) Jül. The effectiveness of stump treatment against air-borne Heterobasidion spores with P. gigantea, when applied at different rates of stump coverage was investigated in southern Sweden. The results showed that, in order to achieve the