23.01.2015 change 23.01.2015

New species of fungus - success of Wrocław phytopathologists

Yellow spots on the mountain pine needles. Source: University of Environmental and Life Sciences in Wrocław Yellow spots on the mountain pine needles. Source: University of Environmental and Life Sciences in Wrocław

A new species of fungus that causes a disease of mountain pine, has been discovered and described by researchers from the Department of Plant Protection of the University of Life Sciences in Wrocław. The new species has been named Lophodermium corconticum, from the name of the Giant Mountains (in Polish: Karkonosze) - reported the university spokeswoman Małgorzata Wanke-Jakubowska.

The symptom of the disease, known as dwarf pine yellow needle casts, are typical yellow spots on the needles which, as the disease progresses, appear on the entire surface of the needle. Infected needles fall in July, and only healthy, this year\'s needles in the form of characteristic "brushes" remain at the ends of the shoots.

The new species of fungus has been named Lophodermium corconticum, from the name of the Giant Mountains (in Polish: Karkonosze). It is very likely that it is endemic and occurs only in the region. However, this requires further research to be carried out in other mountain ranges in Poland, where mountain pine is found. For two years, research and observations have also been conducted in the Tatras.

The discovery of a new species is one of the results of the project, the aim of which was to learn about diseases of needles and their impact on the health of mountain pine growing in the Giant Mountains and the Jizera Mountains. The project was carried out by a team from the Department of Phytopathology and Mycology, led by Dr. Wojciech Pusz, composed of Dr. Włodzimierz Kita, Agata Kaczmarek and Dr. Kamila Nowosad from the Department of Genetics, Plant Breeding and Seed Production.

Also involved in the work on the new species were Dr. Ondrej Koukol of Charles University in Prague and Dr. David Minter from the UK.

The first mountain pine health observations were carried out in the Department of Phytopathology already in 1998 - reminded Wanke-Jakubowska. Subsequent years brought new insights, which resulted in the discovery and description of the new species of fungus.

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