Gmelina arborea “death disease” in fast-growth plantations: Effects of soil and climatic conditions on severity and incidence and its implications for wood quality

Marcela Arguedas,Roger Moya,María Rodriguez-Solis,Alexander Berrocal

doi:10.5424/fs/2018271-12236

Marcela Arguedas, Roger Moya + Show 2 more

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https://doi.org/10.5424/fs/2018271-12236

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Journal: Forest Systems	Publication Date: May 22, 2018
Citations: 6	License type: cc-by

Affiliation: Instituto Tecnológico de Costa Rica

Abstract

Aim of study: Plantations are threatened by an emerging disease called “Gmelina death disease”. The objective of this study was measured the incidence and severity of this disease and were correlated with the characteristics of the plantations, micro- and macronutrients in the soil and climatic parameters.Area of study: The present study evaluated 16 symptomatic fast-growth plantations of different age in Costa RicaMaterial and methods: Fungi were identified from xylem of infected trees. Incidence and severity was measured and correlated with the characteristics of the plantations, micro- and macronutrients in the soil and climatic parameters. Root condition and the quality (specify gravity, mechanical and decay resistance and chemical compositions), of the wood of symptomatic and asymptomatic trees were compared.Main results: Three fungal species (Chaetomella raphigera, Fusarium solani and Rhizomucor variabilis) were identified from diseased samples. Clay content in the soil profile from 10-20 cm deep explained a significant proportion of the variation in the incidence and severity of the disease, and stand density was related to severity. Although two climatic variables, Holdridge’s potential annual evapotranspiration and Thornthwaite’s potential evapotranspiration, showed a relationship between the incidence in the trees and symptoms of the disease. Infected wood turned black in symptomatic trees. Specify gravity and mechanical resistance of infected wood decreased, whereas its natural durability was unaffected. Changes were observed in the quantities of Mg, Fe, Ca, K and Zn in infected wood.Research highlights: Gmelina plantations established in sites with high stand densities and high contents of clay increase susceptibility to this disease.

Highlights

Gmelina arborea Roxb. (Gmelina) is a fast-growing forest species that produces high quality timber used for furniture manufacturing (Vallejos et al, 2015)
The incidence (0 to 58%) and severity (0 to 28%) found in this study show the variation in the presence of the Gmelina death disease in G. arborea plantations in Costa Rica (Fig. 4)
Singh et al (2003) and Soni et al (2005) recorded 8 to 15% incidence of wilt disease in Gmelina arborea and other species such as Dalbergia sissoo, Tectona grandis and Buchnania lanzan, but their measurements were performed during the seedling stage

Summary

Introduction

Gmelina arborea Roxb. (Gmelina) is a fast-growing forest species that produces high quality timber used for furniture manufacturing (Vallejos et al, 2015). (Gmelina) is a fast-growing forest species that produces high quality timber used for furniture manufacturing (Vallejos et al, 2015). This species is widely used in commercial programs in tropical countries, for lumber, pulp and energy production (Dvorak, 2004; Tenorio et al, 2016). In Central America (Costa Rica, Nicaragua and Guatemala), approx. 18,000 ha correspond to Costa Rica (Moya & Tomazello, 2008). Since the 90's, Costa Rica has begun to develop wood pallet industries for agriculture products and all pallets are made with G. arborea wood from commercial plantations (Barrantes & Ugalde, 2017).

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