Sensitivity of Picea abies to butt rot in pure stands and in mixed stands with Pinus sylvestris in southern Sweden

Abstract

Repeatedly sampled data from permanent experimental plots in southern Sweden were used to model butt rot development in Norway spruce growing in pure stands and in mixed stands with Scots pine. The data come from 29 sites with pure spruce, altogether 100 plots, and from 15 sites of mixed spruce and pine, altogether 22 plots. A logistic model provided the best fit to the data. The study material revealed that in mixed stands the proportion of spruce trees with butt rot is lower than in pure Norway spruce stands. The difference in the incidence of butt rot cannot be explained by silviculture or windthrow since both factors are accounted for in the study. The most significant effect on butt rot development in Norway spruce by an admixture of Scots pine, was found when the Scots pine admixture was 50%. In order to reduce the incidence of butt rot in Norway spruce, the study material indicate that there is little to be gained by increasing the Scots pine admixture to much more than 50%.