Diplodia pinea, syn. Sphaeropsis sapinea, is well known as the worldwide ocurring causal agent of the Diplodia tip-blight disease on various pine species, leading to great losses of valuable wood in the forests. Moreover, this fungus is also responsible for the fornation of sapstain of felled logs, leading to undesired disation of surface layers in the OSB manufacturing industry. In Central Europe, species like Austrian pine (P. nigra) and Scots pine (P. silvestris) are affected primarily. In order to test the potential of several established fungal antagonists in their role as biocontrol organisms against Sphaeropsis sapinea as well as other sapstain fungi (Ophiostoma minus), a field trial in a forest in eastern Germany was performed. Prior to field studies, the chosen strains were screened in laboratory scale on green, never dried wood blocks for their antagonistic behaviour. Promising candidates of laboratory experiments were selected for inoculation of logs in the field. After 10 weeks of incubation, the strain Trichoderma harzianum LC3 turned out to be the most suitable organism for successful inhibition of Sphaeropsis sapinea under unsterile conditions in the forest.

Download document (544 kb)
free for the members of IRG. Available if purchased.

Purchase this document