Blue stain fungi of native and exotic forest trees in Patagonia, Argentina

DE ERRASTI A, PILDAIN MB, GRESLEBIN A, RAJCHENBERG M

Colonia del Sacramento

Congreso; IUFRO Forest Protection Joint Meeting; 2011

IUFRO

We surveyed the blue stain fungi associated to exotic pine plantations and to native forest trees in Central and North of continental Patagonia, Argentina. Field trips (38 sum total) included pine plantations (Pinus ponderosa,P. contorta, P. radiata and Pseudotsuga menziesii), saw mills, national parks and state reserves. We inspected fallen and cut trees as well as wood products; a total of 453 stained, wood samples were recovered. They were analyzed microscopically and 144 strains were recovered and cultured in MEA and PDA in order to identify them morphologically. Blue stain fungi were distributed in 14 morphotaxa, which were corroborated and/or confronted with molecular studies. ITS rDNA and β-tubulin DNA sequence analyses confirmed the existence of the following taxa: A) Grosmannia huntii, G.galeiformis, Ophiostoma ips, O. piliferum,O. subannulatum, Ceratocystis coerulescens and Sphaeropsis sapinea on pines; B) Ceratocystismoniliformis, Ophiostoma quercus, O.nothofagi and O. pluriannulatum on native Nothofagus spp. (N. dombeyi, N. obliqua,N. pumilio). Ophiostoma araucariae was found on Araucaria araucana, and Ophiostomavaldivianum on Nothofagus dombeyi but their phylogenetic placement needs further research. We also recovered Dothiorella sarmientoi as the blue-stain fungus found on Austrocedrus chilensis logs. Many strains were distributed among three morphologically different Pesotum spp., which corresponded to O. piceae,O. quercus and an unnamed Ophiostoma sp.