Fusarium spp. and Pinus strobus seedlings: root disease pathogens and taxa associated with seed

Eastern white pine (Pinus strobus L.) seeds weresown in soil infested with Fusarium proliferatum, rootnecrosis developed on seedling roots, and F. proliferatumwas reisolated from symptomatic roots; thus, demonstrating thatF. proliferatum is pathogenic toeastern white pine seedlings. Soils infested with F.acuminatum or F. sporotrichioides resulted infew diseased seedlings. Seedlings with root rot generally showed reductions inseedling height. All Fusarium species tested wererecoveredfrom rhizosphere soil samples. Three seedlots of Pinusstrobus were examined for Fusarium infestation.Fusarium species were recovered from most seeds in twoseedlots. Fusarium proliferatum and F.sporotrichioides were the predominant species isolated. Additionalspecies not previously reported from P. strobus included:F. acuminatum, F. chlamydosporum,F. equiseti, F. graminearum,F. moniliforme, F. poae, F.polyphialidicum, F. heterosporum, F.sambucinum, and F. semitectum.[PUBLICATION ABSTRACT]