Pathogenicity of Heterobasidion annosum (Fr.) Bref. sensu stricto on coniferous tree species in Turkey

Two‐year‐old seedlings of Pinus brutia, P. brutia var. eldarica, Pinus pinea and 3‐year‐old seedlings of Pinus radiata, Pinus sylvestris, Pinus nigra and Cedrus libani were inoculated on the lower stem with isolates of Heterobasidion annosum s.s. collected from the Black Sea and Mediterranean regions of Turkey. In total, 315 seedlings were inoculated in April 2014 and incubated in a growth chamber for 7 weeks at 18–20°C. All isolates were pathogenic on the seven different hosts and had the ability to grow in living sapwood. The isolates had a greater growth on C. libani, P. sylvestris and P. radiata seedlings compared to plants of the other species tested. The least affected species were P. brutia and P. nigra. The isolates originating from the Black Sea region caused longer lesions on the hosts. Overall mortality during 7 weeks of incubation was 4%.