The occurrence of, and economic losses caused by Armillaria in the Western Carpathian Mts

Adam Kaliszewski,Paweł Lech,Tomasz Oszako

doi:10.5586/am.2007.025

Abstract

An investigation carried out in the Western Carpathian Mountains (Ujsoły, Węgierska Górka, Ustroń and Wisła Forest Districts) demonstrated a strong relationship between dieback in Norway spruce stands and the intensity of occurrence of Armillaria ostoyae. For the most endangered site types – mountain deciduous forest (LG) and mountain mixed forest (LMG), analyses of losses of annual volume increment and of stand productivity were performed, and their financial dimensions determined. The greatest losses – of about 8 m3/ha/year for tree stands of the age of 100 years, and 400 m3/ha for the rotation period – were found for LG (Mountain broadleaved forest) site type.

Highlights

The greatest losses – of about 8 m3/ha/year for tree stands of the age of 100 years, and 400 m3/ha for the rotation period – were found for LG (Mountain broadleaved forest) site type
Root rots caused by fungi of the genus Armillaria represent one of the most important problems for Polish forestry
Five species of the genus Armillaria have been recorded in Poland, namely A. borealis, A. gallica, A. ostoyae, A. cepistipes and A. mellea (Żółciak 1991, 1999a)

Summary

INTRODUCTION

Root rots caused by fungi of the genus Armillaria represent one of the most important problems for Polish forestry. Recent years have seen it appear in stands that had been considered resistant – in the beech forests of the Bieszczady Mountains and Pomerania, as well as on oaks throughout the country (Żółciak 1999b; Łakomy , Siwecki 2000) It may serve a useful indicator of the state of health of a forest, inter alia on account of the constancy of colonisation of the substratum (tree boles and roots), as well as the length of the disease process. Average annual increment in these stands exceeds 4.5 m3/ha (Szabla 2003) Forests in this western part of the Carpathians are subject to the impact of many biotic, abiotic and anthropogenic stress factors, including primary and secondary insect pests (most especially bark beetles), infectious fungal diseases (first and foremost those giving rise to root rot), weather anomalies (drought, wind and snow), and air pollution (Zwoliński 2003). Root pathogens are of particular significance in this area – fungi of the genus Armillaria (mainly A. ostoyae), and Heterobasidion annosum, which occurs more frequently here than anywhere else in Poland’s forests (L e c h 2003)

MATERIAL AND METHODS

Findings

Age Age Average Wu