Int 256/Fsc 300 - Forest Pathology Laboratory #6: Page 6
Laboratory #6
BASIDIOMYCOTA AND WOOD DECAY FUNGI
(Edmonds 280-291, 348-358)
I. Purpose:
To learn how to identify the common decay fungi.
II. Materials:
Identification key, knife, hand lens, dissecting microscope.
III. Introduction.
A. Symptoms
1. Wood components.
a) Lignin.
b) Cellulose.
2. Brown rot.
3. White rot.
4. White-pocket rot.
B. Signs
1. Conk.
2. Mycelia.
IV. Pathogen Cycle.
A. Basidiospores disseminated by wind.
B. Enter through wounds in stem.
C. Colonizes dead xylem tissue.
V. Compartmentalization of decay in trees (CODIT).
CODIT: http://www.na.fs.fed.us/spfo/pubs/misc/treedecay/cover.htm
A. Wall #1 - plugging of vessels and tracheids.
B. Wall #2 - last cells in growth ring.
C. Wall #3 - ray cells.
D. Wall #4 - cambium response to wound.
VI. Control
A. Prevent wounds.
B. Prune properly (handout).
How to Prune Trees: http://www.na.fs.fed.us/spfo/pubs/howtos/ht_prune/prun001.htm
C. Remove decayed trees.
Hazard Trees Web Site: http://www.na.fs.fed.us/spfo/hazard/index.htm
VII. Identifying Basidiomycota Which Cause Decay.
A. Terminology for family groupings of basidiomycetes based on macroscopic characteristics.
B. Agaricales (Plate 1).
1. Cap, gills, ring, stem cup, stem absent, stem lateral.
C. Aphyllophorales (Polyporaceae).
1. Shape and method of attachment of pore fungi (Plate 8).
2. Hoof shaped, ungulate, sessile, stemless, convex, applanate, stem lateral, stem central.
3. Growth and structure of pore fungi (Plate 9).
a) Context, pores, annual, perennial, resupinate, effused-reflexed, imbricate, pore shape (pore shape:round, pore shape:angular, pore shape:daedaloid, pore shape:gill-like, or pore shape:lamellate).
4. Growth and structure of "tooth" fungi (Plate 3).
a) Context, teeth, shelf like or stalked.
5. Growth and structure of "smooth" fungi - smooth hymenium.
VIII. Part 1: Basidiomycota Example: Mushrooms
A. Obtain a mushroom (Agaricus bispora).
B. Using a razor blade, cut the mushroom in half lengthwise.
C. Diagram the cap, gills, stem, collar.
D. Place a drop of water on a microscope slide.
E. Remove a small (1 mm X 1mm) from the bottom edge of a gill and place in the water. Place a cover slip over the tissue.
F. Observe with the miroscope and diagram:
1. Basidia.
2. Basidiospores.
IX. Part 2: Root Rot Diseases.
(Manion p. 293-306, 125-129) (Edmonds p. 275-291, 297-307)
A. Shoe string root rot, Armillaria root disease. (incited by Armillaria spp., Agaricaceae). http://www.na.fs.fed.us/spfo/pubs/fidls/armillaria/armillaria.htm (class web site)
1. Examine sporophores and identify: cap, stem, gills (attached), collar, lack of a cup.
2. Examine rhizomorphs.
3. Note the resin production and identify mycelial fans underneath the bark of a spruce tree infected with the disease.
B. Annosus Root Rot (incited by Heterobasidion annosum (Fomes annosus), Polyporaceae). http://www.na.fs.fed.us/spfo/pubs/fidls/annosus/fidl-ann.htm (class web site)
1. Examine the perennial sporophores and decay of this basidiomycete.
X. Part 3: Stem Decay Fungi.
A. Lab procedure:
1. CODIT: Diagram as many walls as seen in the samples. Label the walls
2. Make sketches of the three decay types (symptoms).
a) Brown rot.
b) White rot with zone lines.
c) White pocket rot.
3. Complete Decay Descriptions:
a) Decay name.
b) Susceptible tree species.
(i) Name
(ii) Symptom
(a) Decay type
(b) How much decay
(iii) Living or dead tree
c) Decay fungus.
(i) Name
(ii) Sign: How identify
B. Red ring rot. (class web site)
1. Phellinus pini (Fomes pini) can cause a white pocket rot in the heartwood of most living conifers in the north temperate zone.
2. Examine samples of the early decay which appears as rings of red to purple discoloration in a stem cross section.
3. Punk knots can form on the stems of living trees (samples not available). Yellow brown mycilium fill the punk knots.
4. Decay extends 2-4 ft each side of conk or punk knots.
5. Examine the sporophore and note the following:
a) On living trees - branch stubs.
b) Ca. 3 in (1-12 in) across, shelving.
c) Upper surface dark gray to black, concentrically furrowed.
d) Hymenium (hymenial surface) with pores (round to daedaloid), yellow-brown.
e) Context yellow brown when growing, darker when inactive.
6. The fungus enters through branch stubs and causes up to 50% volume loss in stands.
C. Red belt fungus. (class web site)
1. Fomitopsis pinicola (Fomes pinicola) is the most common decay of slash and logs in North America (conifers and deciduous trees). It causes a brown, cubical, crumbly rot.
2. Examine the sporophore and note the following:
a) Perennial, shelving conks, 2-10 in (2 ft) flat to hoof shape.
b) Upper surface smooth to crusty, gray to black in older parts, usually with white and red bands at margin.
c) Lower surface white with round pores.
d) Context buff colored, corky.
e) Mycelial felts in decayed wood.
3. Fungal spores normally infect only dead stems. Brown cubicle rot can occur up to 30 ft from conk.
D. Phellinus trunk rot of aspen. (class web site)
1. Phellinus tremulae (Fomes igniarius var. populinus) is the most serious decay of aspen (Populus spp.). It causes a white trunk rot of living trees.
2. Examine the sporophore and note the following:
a) Perennial conks hoof shape (hymenium convex), ca. 4 in across.
b) Upper surface grayish black, cracked, cinder-like.
c) Hymenium gray with round pores.
d) Interior dark brown with white (silver) flecks (tubes filled with mycelium).
3. Spores enter through wounds and branch stubs.
4. Decay extends 8 or more feet from conk.
E. Tinder fungus. (class web site)
1. Fomes fomentarius. commonly causes white rot in dead stems of birches (Betula), beeches (Fagus), and poplars (Populus).
2. Examine the sporophore and note the following:
a) Perennial conks hoof shape (hymenium flat), ca. 3 in across.
b) Upper surface gray to tan, smooth, concentric ridges.
c) Hymenium gray with round pores.
d) Interior dark brown.
3. Spores infect wood of dead, standing trees and sometimes decays heartwood of living trees.
4. Presence of conk indicates total cull.
F. Cinder conk.
1. Inonotus obliquus (Poria obliqua) commonly causes white rot and a canker in living birch, sometimes beech.
2. A sterile, cinder-like conk developing from branch stub or wound.
3. Spores enter through branch stub or wound.
4. Fungus decays heartwood and pushes through sapwood and phloem (canker develops) to form a sterile conk.
5. Fertile sporophore develops after tree dies.
6. Sterile conk indicates 15 ft or more of decay in stem.
G. Artist's Conk. (class web site)
1. Ganoderma applanatum (Fomes applanatus) can cause a white rot of dead hardwood stems, occasionally attacking heartwood of live trees.
2. Examine the sporophore and note the following:
a) Large, shelving conk, up to 2 ft or more across.
b) Upper surface light gray to light brown, smooth to crusty.
c) Hymenium white, turns brown when touched.
d) Interior: Upper layer white, lower layer brown.
3. Spores enter through branch stubs or wound.
4. Conk indicates 15 ft or more decay on live tree, 30 ft or more on dead tree.
XI. Terminology. Be sure to include the complexes and Latin names of the “unknowns".
INT 256 - FOREST PATHOLOGY LABORATORY #5: WOOD DECAY PAGE 2
A. Disease Complexes.
annosus root rot
Armillaria root disease
artist's conk
cinder conk
Phellinus trunk rot of aspen
red belt fungus
red ring rot
shoe string root rot
tinder fungus
B. Latin names
Agaricales
Aphyllophorales
Armillaria
Fomes annosus
Fomes applanatus
Fomes fomentarius
Fomes igniarius var.
populinus
Fomes pini
Fomes pinicola
Fomitopsis pinicola
Ganoderma applanatum
Heterobasidion annosum
Inonotus obliquus
Phellinus pini
Phellinus tremulae
Poria obliqua
C. Terms.
angular
annual
applanate
brown rot
cap
collar
context
convex
cup
daedaloid
effused-reflexed
gill-like
gills
hoof shaped
hymenium
imbricate
lamellate
mantle
mycelial fans
perennial
pore shape
pores
punk knots
resupinate
rhizomorphs
round
sessile
stem absent
stem central
stem lateral
ungulate
white pocket rot
white rot
zone lines
FTY 100 - Lecture : page 1