Abstract
SummaryThe aim of this study was to assess the effect and importance of the feeding of the pine top weevil (Pissodes piniphilus) on the germination of Endocronartium pini (syn. Peridermium pini) in Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris), and thus to establish the possibility of the E. pini infection via insect woundings. Germination tests were therefore carried out on current and previous year needle and phloem extracts. Elucidation of the importance of pathogen infection for the insect's feeding preference was also required; for this purpose feeding preference tests were carried out with healthy and infected pine branches using the pine top weevil as a test insect. Weevil feeding increased the germination of E. pini aeciospores on pine extracts. Germination on previous year annual‐shoot extracts was lower than that on current year annual‐shoot extracts. The advance of the growing season increased this trend, but weevil feeding increased germination on extracts from older annual shoots to the levels found on extracts from current annual shoots. Spores germinated equally well on needle extracts and on phloem extracts. The weevils ate more often on infected branches than on healthy branches. E. pini infections may occur via woundings on branches and weevil feeding may facilitate this.
Published Version
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