History of Peridermium Stem Rust of Scots Pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) in Thetford Forest, East Anglia

‘Peridermium’ stem rust (Peridermium pini (Pers.)Lev.) has been present in Thetford forest for at least 40 years,but has only become a major problem during the last decade.Survey data are presented which show that there has been a dramaticincrease in the disease in crops of Scots pine between 1964,when with less than one per cent of the trees showed symptoms,and 1979, when the figure was 10 per cent. The disease has apparentlyspread outwards from a central focus in the middle of the forest.In four plots the proportion of trees with visible symptomshas increased in five years from an average of 28 per cent to46 per cent. However, only 1–2 per cent of the trees havedied annually, and it appears that many trees with ‘deadtops’ may survive for long periods. The situation in Thetfordseems to contrast with that in north-east Scotland, where limiteddata suggest there has been no appreciable increase in diseaseincidence during recent years. There are only two records ofthe disease on Corsican pine (P. nigra var. maritima (Ait.)Melville) in Thetford.     

不同产地青杨的幼树木材材性变异的研究*

测定了２４个不同产地青杨３年生幼树的木材性质，对材性性状在产地与单株两水平上的变异进行了研究。木材基本密度的变异产地间大于个体间，密度随产地纬度升高而增大。纤维、导管性状产地间的变异达到０．０５水平显著，被测个体数较大时产地内表现出差异。纤维、导管与产地纬度呈微弱负相关。纤维、导管单株内变异较大，所以进行纤维、导管测定应取大样本数。在育种改良时要根据不同的目的性状采用各自方案。     

Spring Frosts Affecting the Establishment of Second Rotation Crops in Thetford Chase

Spring frosts in Thetford Chase cause a major reduction in thegrowth of young Corsican pine and very severe frosts or repeatedfrosting may kill the trees. Records of temperatures taken ona range of sites and in different conditions have shown that(a) spring frosts occur every year at Thetford, but the severefrosts which kill trees outright may only occur once every fewyears, (b) frost damage to plants mainly occurs when the treesare less than 18 in (45 cm) tall, (c) forest clearings largerthan 5 acres (2 ha) do not act as artificial frost hollows,(d) cold air flows down slopes of more than 1° and accumulatesat the bottom, forming a frosty zone. Studies showed that frost damage can be minimized by (a) completecultivation, (b) deep ploughing, (c) underplanting, and (d)strip felling. The benefits of these measures are demonstratedby temperature records and by measurements of tree growth. Methods of reducing frost damage are necessary in areas proneto spring frosts if crops of Corsican pine are to be successfullyestablished at low cost.     

Infection by Armillaria mellea and some Factors Affecting Host Resistance and the Severity of Disease

Infection by A. mellea in Britain occurs by means of rhizomorphs;the transfer of mycelium at root contacts is probably not importantas a means of spread. Following the initial phase of rhizomorphpenetration, established infection in the cambium is precededby ectotrophic spread of mycelium in the bark scales. Field investigation confirmed reports in the literature thatin susceptible conifers the greatest number of deaths generallyoccurs approximately 6–8 years after planting. However,attacks can also occur in much older crops and the reasons forthis are discussed. Inoculation experiments showed that suppressed trees and thoseexperiencing conditions of reduced light intensity are moresusceptible to infection than dominant trees and trees in fulllight. Species susceptibility in a variety of soils was studiedby inoculation of trees 20–30 cm tall. Of the coniferstested Pseudotsuga menziesii and Abies grandis were more resistantthan Picea abies, P. sitchensis, Larix kaempferi and Pinus sylvestris.Quercus robur and Fagus sylvatica were more resistant than allthe conifers except A. grandis. Soil type influenced diseasedevelopment and the proportion of trees infected was higherin an acidic sand soil than in an alkaline clay soil.     

A Study on the Mode of Infection of Pinus sylvestris L. by Peridermium pint (Pers.) Lev.

Inoculations by Peridermium pini (Pers) Lev. aeciospores ofscalpel wounds 2 mm deep on current year's Pinus sylvestrisL. shoots gave more numerous infections than shallower wounds.Some lesions resulting from these infections developed pycnidialdroplets and a few also produced aecial blisters within thefirst year after infection. Infection of P. sylvestris by P.pini can take place by direct stomatal penetration. This wasobserved only inside the needle sheaths of trees with previousnatural infections and was not observed on healthy trees. Thehyphae that developed from these penetrations passed intercellularlythrough the mesophyll to the vascular tissue where they proliferated.     

THE EFFECT OF RATE OF GROWTH (RING WIDTH) ON THE DENSITY OF SOFTWOODS

The relation between rate of growth and density has been examinedin fairly wide-ringed Douglas fir (Pseudotsugo taxifolia) andCorsican pine (Pinus nigra var. calabrica) grown in the southof England. A comparison between wood formed early in the lifeof the tree and wood of similar ring width formed later hasshown that the latter is invariably denser, indicating thatthe higher density of older wood is due to an age effect ratherthan to diminishing ring width. It is concluded that after acertain age rapid growth can produce wood of reasonably highdensity. This confirms that Turnbull's findings on widely spacedexotic softwoods grown in South Africa apply, with reservations,to trees grown in this country under conditions where rapidgrowth can be maintained.     

THE CHECKING OF FOREST TREES BY HEATHER

Experiments on podzolized heather moor at Allerston Forest haveshown that a heather mulch applied around checked Sitka spruce(Picea sitcbensis Carr.), Norway spruce (P. abies Karst.), andLawson cypress (Cbamaecyparis lawsoniana Parl.), or more simplythe elimination of living heather by surface hoeing, producesimproved colour and vigour of the trees. It has also been demonstratedthat the addition of a nitrogenous fertilizer to checked Sitkaspruce can, at least temporarily, alleviate the condition ofcheck.     

Beech in Wessex - a Perspective on Present Health and Silviculture

The condition of beech (Fagus sylvatica L) growing in thirtywoods in the south of England is described. In older woods,up to 20 per cent of trees were killed or seriously damagedby the summer drought of 1976. Most surviving trees have recoveredfully. Beech snap disease, associated with the fungus Nectria coccineais widespread in younger stands, especially those also affectedby lime-induced chlorosis, beech scale (Cryptococcus fagisuga)or severe competition. Nevertheless, sufficient trees surviveto provide a choice of final crop. In the long term, beech doesnot seem likely to die out through drought or disease. Trees of almost all ages and conditions exhibit a tendency tomultiple forking. The principle remedy is to keep trees in closedcanopy until a 6 to 8 m clean bole has been obtained. Beechresponds well to heavy thinning at this stage. The long term future of beech woodlands depends on timber valuesand on support for their ecological and amenity value. Silviculturally,beech is the best adapted species for the shallowest calcareoussoils, especially on the Jurassic limestone.     

Growing Oaks at Closer Spacing

The reasons for the scarcity of tall straight oaks (Quercusrobur L. and Q. petraea (Mattuschka) Liebl.) in Great Britainare discussed in this paper. It is argued that the historicalpractice of growing timber at very wide spacings in coppice-with-standardssystems rather than high forest, coupled with generations ofselection for crookedness rather than straightness, has resultedin a dearth of tall, well-formed trees. Evidence is presentedthat oak produced in conditions of quite severe competitionwill grow much taller than widely spaced trees. It is concludedthat the current practice of planting at densities of 1100 treesper hectare is unlikely to lead to the government's stated objectiveof encouraging an 'increase [in] the quality and value of timberproduced by broadleaved woodlands as a whole' (Forestry Commission,1985). The economic and other implications of considerably closerspacing are discussed. Received 15 October 1990.     

Forest condition in Tuscany (Central Italy). Field surveys 1987-1991

Between 1987 and 1991 four surveys on the condition of forestsin Tuscany (Central Italy) were carried out. The results, relatingto 2275 trees in 111 sampling plots, show that the overall percentageof damaged trees (defined by the EC regulation 1696/87) increasedbetween 1987–88 (51.4±5.4 per cent; 54.0±5.6per cent) and 1990–91 (67.0±6.2 per cent; 64.0±6.1per cent). The percentage of moderately and severely damagedtrees also displayed an upward trend. The most severely affectedspecies appeared to be Pinus pinea (a Mediterranean conifer,96.7 per cent damaged trees) and Fagus sylvatica (a mountainbroadleaf, 87.1 per cent damaged trees). Crown condition appearedto deteriorate with decreases in mean annual rainfall and wherestand conditions are poor (thin soil, steep slopes). The findingssuggest the possibility of an interaction between several differentstress factors, some of which seem to be linked to local andstand conditions (exposure, silviculture, soil fertility), whileothers seem to be connected with long-term variations, suchas changes in environmental parameters like precipitation. Theactual role of background and/or local pollution can be neitherdemonstrated nor excluded on the basis of the present results.     

Responses ofQuercus sapwood to infection with the pathogenic fungus of a new wilt disease vectored by the ambrosia beetlePlatypus quercivorus

Quercus serrata andQ. crispula wilt during the summer in wide areas along the Sea of Japan. Mass attacks of trees by an ambrosia beetle (Platypus quercivorus) are characteristic before appearance of the wilting symptoms. This study investigated the pathogenic effects of a fungus detected specifically in the wilting trees. This hyphomycete fungus,Raffaelea sp., has a distribution that correlates with the discolored xylem area called wound heartwood in which vessels are dysfunctional. Tylosis formation around the hyphae indicates vessel dysfunction. In areas with discoloration, the fungal hyphae were invading living ray parenchyma cells from the vessel lumen. As a protective reaction the ray cells exuded yellow substances into the vessels, but these substances seemed ineffective against the fungal activity, probably because the fungus disperses along the beetle's gallery before enough substance can accumulate. It should allow wide discoloration in sapwood. Cambium was not necrotic around the fungus. The cytological process in the host was as follows: (1) synthesis of secondary metabolites by the stimuli of oak fungus; (2) exudation of yellow substances into vessels; and (3) dysfunction of vessels and wound heartwood formation. In regard to wilting of trees, the pathogenicity of the fungus should be assessed by its ability to stop sap flow.     

TWO-STORIED HIGH FOREST

The system has been adopted at Dartington with Japanese larch(Larix leptolepis), and it has been suggested that it worksthere because Japanese larch grows fast. It is argued in thispaper, however, that the system is best adapted to rather slowlygrowing trees, and the reason for its use with Japanese larchis that this species is characterized by a rapid height growthbut a small current annual increment, so that, unless the treesare isolated, they make extremely narrow annual rings. WithDouglas fir (Pseudotsuga taxifolia) and Sitka spruce (Piceasitcbensis) the annual rings might become too broad if thistreatment were applied, except at a rather advanced age. Nevertheless,the system has certain other advantages and, to attain these,it may be useful to adopt it more extensively, even if the annualrings become broader than we like.     

Forest characteristics affecting the rate of shoot pruning by the pine shoot beetle (Tomicuspiniperda L.) in Pinus radiata D. Don and P. sylvestris L. plantations

Different variables, such as altitude and presence of defoliators,were studied in Bizkaia (northern Spain) in order to assessthe susceptibility of Pinus radiata (D. Don) and P. sylvestris(L.) stands to Tomicus piniperda (L.) (Coleoptera: Scolytidae).Altitudes higher than 400 m, presence of logs, degree of thinningand incidence of fires, all increased the susceptibility ofP. radiata monocultures to shoot attack by T. piniperda. P.sylvestris plantations were more affected at alti tudes lowerthan 400 m and by poor forest hygiene. The presence of the processionarymoth (Thaumetopoea pityocampa Den and Schiff.) had a significanteffect on the rate of shoot pruning on the trees; vigorous treesand those with bare leader were more affected by the bark beetleattack if T. pityocampa larvae were feeding on their needles,while trees with dominance taken by the side shoots were lessattacked when moth larvae were present.     

Decay in Norway Spruce Caused by Stereum sanguinolentum Alb. & Schw. ex Fr. Developing from Extraction Wounds

In two stands of Norway spruce (Picea abies (L.) Karst.), plantedin 1952 and 1929 in Yair Hill Forest and Glentress Forest, BordersRegion, two per cent of the trees examined in 1983 had extractiondamage on stems and superficial roots. Extraction wounds were4 and 8 years old respectively and ranged in size from 52 to1099 cm². Infection frequency of the damaged trees was 47 percent and 54 per cent respectively. Stereum sanguinolentum wasthe most common fungus isolated, accompanied by Trichodermaviride Fr; Chaetomium cochlioides Palliser and Heterobasidionannosum (Fr.) Bref. The frequency of isolation of S. sanguinolentumincreased progressively in samples taken from the outside ofstems inwards, whereas the other microorganisms present showedthe opposite pattern. In four trees, T. viride overgrew S. sanguinolentumin the the decay columns. Positive correlations were demonstratedbetween surface area of wounds and vertical extension of decay,tree volume and decay volume, and diameter of stem at breastheight (DBH) and decay volume; whereas a negative correlationoccurred between number of growth rings per 5 cm (measured inwardsfrom the outside of the bole) and radial penetration of decay.The results confirm the importance of S. sanguinolentum as awound pathogen.     

A review of black heart of ash (Fraxinus excelsior L.)

Black heart is a non-fungal stain of ash (Fraxinus excelsiorL.) which results in a price penalty compared with white wood.The formation of black heart varies within individual trees,between trees and on different sites; the evidence availablesuggests that it can be present in up to 45 per cent of treesat age 60. Once formed the proportion of cross-sectional areaaffected increases with age. Previous work has suggested thatblack heart has no effect on timber properties or strength butits occurrence has been linked with high soil moisture. Howeverthese studies were conducted in the 1950s and need to be confirmedusing more rigorous research methods. Scope exists for innovativemarketing of black heartwood to emphasize that it is a naturalfeature and can be visually pleasing; this may lead to betterreturns for the grower.     

Timber Improvement: I. A Study of the Variation in Wood Characteristics in Young Sitka spruce

As part of a programme aimed at improving Sitka spruce timber(Picea sitchensis (Bong.) Carr.), a study has been made of thevariation in some wood characteristics of significance in affectingtechnological behaviour, and the effect on these characteristicswhen trees of outstanding form and vigour are selected. It wasfound that:

1. There is a similar pattern of within-tree variationin density,tracheid length, and grain inclination for bothselected andaverage, final crop trees.
2. There is a very appreciablevariation in these timber characteristicsbetween trees at comparableages, indicating the potential forimprovement by selection.
3. There is a reduction in density and some increase in graininclinationbut no difference in tracheid length in vigorouscompared withaverage-growth trees at comparable ages.
4. Thereis no evidence that selection for above average densityhasan adverse effect on tracheid length; it tends to favourtreeshaving a high minimum early wood density and, to a limitedextent,wood with narrow cells.

     

A Study of Losses in Scots Pine caused by Fomes annosus

Data are presented from unreplicated Scots pine {Pinus sylvestrisL.) sample plots in Thetford Forest which have been differentiallyattacked by Fomes annosus (Fr.) Cooke. Volume production ofseverely infested crops differs markedly from that forecastby management tables. The volume of dead trees may not representthe total loss of volume in these plots as there appears alsoto be a reduction in the growth of the remaining live trees.These observations may have considerable significance in forecastingfuture volume production from stands attacked by F. annosusand also in deciding the optimum time for their replacement.     

The threat of the ambrosia beetle Megaplatypus mutatus (Chapuis) (=Platypus mutatus Chapuis) to world poplar resources

We describe the life cycle of Megaplatypus mutatus (Chapuis)(=Platypus mutatus) and the damage it causes to poplar resourcesin Argentina. This insect, native to the subtropical and tropicalareas of South America, has extended its range into temperateregions, reaching as far south as Neuquén in ArgentineanPatagonia. The damage is caused by the adult insects, whichbore large gallery systems into living poplars (Populus spp.),willows (Salix spp.) and many other broadleaf species, includingimportant fruit trees species such as apples (Malus spp.), walnuts(Juglans spp.) and avocados (Persea spp.). The galleries degradethe lumber and weaken the tree stems, which often then breakduring windstorms. A recent introduction of M. mutatus to Italydemonstrates that this insect can be transported long distancesbetween countries, and therefore presents a threat worldwide—particularlyto poplar cultivation. We review the taxonomic nomenclaturefor this pest, provide a summary of the life cycle, hosts anddamage and summarize actions taken to reduce the risk of introductionof M. mutatus to Canada.     

Some Consequences of the 1975-1976 Drought for Dutch Elm Disease in Southern England

During the exceptionally hot, dry summer of 1976 the large elmbark beetle, Scolytus scolytus, was able to invade and successfullybreed in apparently healthy, undiseased elms. A conspicuousfeature was the clustering of wasps, bees and ladybirds on thestems, attracted by sap exudation. The trees were probably sufferingfrom drought, although many showed no symptoms. The phenomenonoccurred mainly on shallow soils over limestone; trees on chalkwere not generally affected. In 1976, and to some extent in 1975, the downward developmentof Ceratocystis ulmi through the tree was less than in previousyears, and only a low proportion of the numerous maturationfeeding wounds became infected. However the drought does notappear to have significantly influenced the course of the epidemic. The attacks by S. scolytus on undiseased trees are discussedin respect of 19th Century reports of attacks on elms, and itis concluded that the ability of S. scolytus to assume a moreprimary role may have been underestimated.     

Rainfall Interception by Beech, Larch and Norway Spruce

Interception loss is related to the nature of the rain. Thespatial variability of rainfall on the forest floor and thevariability between stemflow of trees are examined in an attemptto discover their relationships. Comparison between rainfallon the forest floor and stemflow with rainfall over the canopyshows that leaf fall produces very little effect on interceptionloss in the deciduous species. Relative to precipitation outsidethe forest, there is concentration of rainfall on certain partsof the forest floor. This is most evident in beech (Fagus sylvatica);spruce (Picea abies) concentrates water to a lesser extent,and in larch (Larix decidua) a negligible area of the floorreceives more than gross rainfall. The implications of thiscomparison with respect to water conservation are discussed.