Abstract
Chestnut blight, a disease that has spread rampantly among American (Castanea dentata (Marsh.) Borkh.) and European chestnut (C. sativa Mill.) trees, results from infection by the fungal pathogen Cryphonectria parasitica (Murrill) M.E. Barr (C. parasitica). This fungus was introduced in the early 1900s and has almost functionally eliminated chestnut trees from the North American landscape. In 2017, we collected chestnut blight samples from two sites (Site B, (Fulton Co., IN) and Site C (Marshall Co., IN)). At the Fulton County planting, Site B, cankers had formed, healed over, and the trees were healthy. However, at the second site in Marshall County, (Site C), cankers continued to propagate until all of the chestnut trees had died back to the ground. Research evidence worldwide has indicated that these visual clues likely result from the presence of a hypovirus. Upon closer inspection and the subsequent isolation and reproduction of spores, no hypovirus has been identified from either site. Here, we present a curious coincidence where one site has completely succumbed to the disease, while the other has been able to spring back to health.
Highlights
Chestnut blight is a plant disease caused by the fungus Cryphonectria parasitica
The main objectives of this study were to observe the spread of a natural C. parasitica infection within two size- and age-matched C. dentata stands, isolate the C. parasitica fungus and the potential hypovirus from Site B, attempt to convert virulent strains into hypovirulent ones by hyphal fusion, and identify a cause for the differing results observed between Site B and Site C
Past work has shown that there are a number of interacting variables involved in the chestnut response to C. parasitica and, while populations in Europe seem to be doing slightly better in response to hypoviruses, stresses such as drought and insect pests (i.e., the Asian chestnut gall wasp (Dryocosmus kuriphilus Yasumatsu) [64]) represent another
Summary
Chestnut blight is a plant disease caused by the fungus Cryphonectria parasitica (C. parasitica; formerly known as Endothia parasitica). From Asia, the disease has decimated American (Castanea dentata (Marsh.) Borkh.) and European chestnut Mill.) tree populations [1]. The loss of billions of American chestnuts from native landscapes has severely impacted wildlife species dependent upon the mast crops to survive, detrimentally affected the nut and lumber industry economy, and completely reconfigured forests throughout its native range. Native to Eastern Asia, the fungus has evolved alongside Chinese (C. mollissima) and Japanese
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