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Project: 2002-05. Report - Identification of the pheromone of the defoliator Pseudocoremia suavis (Lepidoptera: Geometridae)

• This report summarises work undertaken in 2002–2004, for the New Zealand Forest Health Research Collaborative, to identify the sex pheromone of the common forest looper, Pseudocoremia suavis (Lepidoptera: Geometridae). Pseudocoremia suavis is a polyphagous native moth whose larvae also eat the leaves of Pinus radiata. In the past P. suavis has been responsible for major deforestation in P. radiata plantations notably at Eyrewell Forest, North Canterbury and in Kaingaroa Forest, Bay of Plenty.

Gibb, Suckling,El-Sayed, Bunn

196.03 kB

.pdf

2004 

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Project: 2002-04. Report - Fusarium circinatum – an agent of damping–off disease

• The susceptibility of six plantation and two pasture species of plants, to damping–off caused by Fusarium circinatum and to Fusarium oxysporum, was compared.
• Fusarium circinatum is the agent of pine pitch canker disease and can cause damping–off of seedlings in addition to causing canker and dieback of older plants. Fusarium oxysporum is a common inhabitant of nursery soils in New Zealand, causing damping–off and root rot to a number of species when soil moisture is high and conditions are conducive to disease.

Dick, Simpson

288.33 kB

.pdf

2003

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Project: 2002-03. Report - Field guide to common pests, diseases and other disorders of Radiata pine in New Zealand. Other disorders

• Field guide contains extract of pages 40–55; "Other Disorders". Covers various mineral deficiencies and types of damage caused by weather or pesticide

Chapman 

551.60 kB

.pdf

2005 

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Project: 2002-02. Report - Induced seedling resistance in Pinus radiata seedlings to pinke pitch canker

• A study was conducted to assess the potential for using elicitors to protect Pinus radiata seedlings against infection with Fusarium circinatum, the causal agent of pine pitch canker. Elicitor treatments, applied either six weeks or one week before inoculation, were compared with a commercial fungicide applied 1 week before inoculation. Treated plants were wounded then inoculated with either 10 spores or 100 spores at the wound site in order to mimic low and high disease pressure conditions. Elicitor treatment and fungicide treatment reduced the onset of disease development, as indicated by a reduction in incidence and lesion length. At low inoculum levels all of the treatments significantly reduced disease incidence and severity. At high inoculum levels there were no significant differences between treatments during the early stages of symptom development. However, by 50 days post inoculation it was apparent that there was a significant reduction in plant mortality on seedlings that had been treated with elicitor at 1 week before inoculation. These results confirm our previous findings that elicitor treatment can reduce the severity of infections caused by F. circinatum. There are indications that the plant response may be overcome by high inoculum pressure, particularly when the duration between treatment and inoculation extends to six weeks. Repeated elicitor applications may be advisable under high disease pressure conditions.

Dick, Reglinski

426.36 kB

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Project: 2002-01. Report - Assessment and Control of Dothistroma needle-blight

• The object of this handbook is to provide a source of reference and an introduction to the routine forestry practice of treating exotic pines against Dothistroma needle-blight.The information provided has been gained from over 30 years of research and experience in operational control of Dothistroma needle-blight.This handbook updates three previous versions,published in 1979,1982,and 1988,and it is hoped that readers will find it a useful reference guide for running a successfulDothistroma control programme.

Bulman, Gadgil, Kershaw, Ray

244.94 kB

.pdf

2004

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Project: 2001-08. Report - Dothistroma prediction model (2001–08)

• A model to predict the Dothistroma spray programme was developed by testing the effect of rainfall, raindays, and inoculum in previous season on the percentage of susceptible area sprayed in individual years from 1966 to 2002 at Kaingaroa and Kinleith. For both data sets a multiple regression using average monthly rainfall from November–February (including October or March rainfall if 200 mm or more), total raindays of at least 0.1 mm from November–February, and the percentage of susceptible area sprayed in the previous season to predict area sprayed gave reasonable results. The Kaingaroa data set gave an R2 of 0.53 and for Kinleith R2 = 0.70. Some of the unexplained variation was attributable to incomplete or inaccurate input data, management decisions influencing area sprayed, and, possibly, exceptional climatic events such as a wetter and warmer than average September or April.

Bulman

198.83 kB

.pdf

 2003

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Project: 2001-07. Report - Assessment and Control of Dothistroma Needle-Blight

• The object of this handbook is to provide a source of reference and an introduction to the routine forestry practice of treating exotic pines against Dothistroma needle-blight. The information provided has been gained from over 30 years of research and experience in operational control of Dothistroma needle-blight. This handbook updates three previous versions, published in 1979, 1982, and 1988, and it is hoped that readers will find it a useful reference guide for running a successful Dothistroma control programme.

Bulman, Gadgil, Kershaw, Ray

244.98 kB

.pdf

 2001

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Project: 2001-06. Report - Use of aerial spray simulation models for pest eradication, management and contingency planning

• Plant canopies are often the direct or indirect target during aerial spraying. Therefore, there are benefits from understanding and being able to model the factors influencing spray deposition in canopies. Potential benefits from havingmodels that simulate spray interception by canopies include the ability to define application methods and conditions necessary to maximize spray efficiency (i.e., achieve the biological objective with a minimum dose) and to minimize off–target environmental impacts. An experimental study was undertaken to measure spray interception by a discontinuous radiata pine canopy. Two droplet size treatments (volume median diameters of 596 versus 295 m) were applied using a Jet Ranger helicopter, with eight replications of each treatment. Spray deposition was measured on horizontally oriented plastic tubes, which were threaded onto strings located at different layers through a 3 m high canopy. Other measurements included leaf area distribution within the plot and meteorological conditions, with helicopter flight line location and release height determined from a global positioning system. Spray attenuation through the canopy was greater with the smaller droplet size, with only 34% of the spray reaching the lowest sampling level compared to 46% with the larger droplets. Predictions of spray attenuation by the optical canopy model in AGDISP did not closely match measured attenuation.

Richardson, Thistle 

102.82 kB

.pdf

2002

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Project: 2001-05. Report - Risk modelling & strategies for eradication/control of gypsy moth for New Zealand

• If GM establishes in New Zealand and eradication is unsuccessful, then ongoing population suppression will be required. If GM arrives in NZ without its natural control agents, as is most likely, then the population will go through substantial outbreaks. Early introduction of a range of agents, suitable for use in NZ, will be required

Glare, Walsh, Kay, Barlow 

2.63 MB

.pdf

2003

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Project: 2001-03. Report - Are plantation forests with increased biodiversity more resistant to pest outbreaks?

• This study confirms that exotic plantation forests can provide habitat for a diverse understorey and insect fauna with a large proportion of indigenous species, including some rare or threatened species. Despite the homogeneous character of the land occupied by Eyrewell Forest and the almost identical stand structure and age distribution, there is considerable variation in the understorey among stands.

Brockerhoff, Jactel 

 6.38 kBkB

.pdf

2003

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Project: 2001-02 . Report - The economic impact of the Monterey pine aphid – Year 2

• This report presents the results of a monitoring programme to determine the pest status of the Monterey pine aphid, Essigella californica (Essig), in Pinus radiata plantations in Hawke´s Bay. This programme was developed in collaboration with Forest Research scientists, who are undertaking similar work in radiata forests in the Bay of Plenty (see report below 2000-01)

Herman, M. Davidson and C. Appleton

 Project: 2001-01.

.pdf

 Project 2000-04. Report - Biological control of blackberry

• Of the brush weeds, blackberry (Rubus fruticosus agg.) is second in New Zealand only to gorse, in terms of the volume of herbicide sold for its control. The weed competes with plantation trees (of both major and minor forest species) and interferes with silvicultural activities. A successful biological control programme against blackberry would significantly decrease financial and environmental costs associated with this weed and its control.

Barton 

105.95 kB

.pdf

2004

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 Project 2000-03. Report - Inoculation Studies with the Cypress Canker Fungus Seiridium unicorne

• Glasshouse studies were undertaken to investigate the feasibility of developing a protocol for screening field-selected cypress stock for resistance to cypress canker disease. Seedlings of Cupressus macrocarpa were inoculated with two isolates of Seiridium unicorne by inserting pieces of mycelium in agar culture into wounds made in the stem. Both isolates induced tissue damage in all plants, but degree of virulence varied between isolates, as indicated by extent of lesion development and, initially, by the level of foliage browning. Variation was also found in the degree of susceptibility among a number of families of C. macrocarpa, as determined by lesion length. However, family rankings were not consistent when plants were treated with different isolates of S. unicorne. Tissue damage and foliage browning were more severe at higher temperatures.

.pdf

 Project 2000-02.  Report - Blue Stain in Roots and Root Collars of Pinus radiata and Association with Cattle Grazing

• Blue stain in the roots and butts of Pinus radiata in a stand on the Coromandel Peninsula was associated with on-going mortality during the 1980´s. During six years of monitoring the stand, from age 8 to age 14, 7 percent mortality was recorded.

.pdf

 Project 2000-01. Report - Monitoring Monterey Pine Aphids to define their pest status in New Zealand

• This report presents the results of a monitoring programme to determine the pest status of the Monterey pine aphid, Essigella californica (Essig), in Pinus radiata plantations in Hawke´s Bay. This programme was developed in collaboration with Forest Research scientists, who are undertaking similar work in radiata forests in the Bay of Plenty.

.pdf

 Project: 1999-05. Report - Low-Level Helicopter Surveillance Trial

• It is recommended that small helicopters such as the Robinson R22 be used for low-level surveillance applications, especially over forests where there is no ground access, or there is a need for accurate geo-referencing of health disorders. Low-level surveillance should be undertaken at between 200 - 500 ft above ground, varied with respect to stand height. Surveillance flight lines should be spaced at 100 - 150 m in order to maximise disease symptom detection at a distance. Survey flight speed should be approximately 50 knots, considering that surveyors do have the opportunity to hover the aircraft. For precise referencing of health disorders, especially in individual trees, the helicopter must be brought down to a height where the surveyor minimises the blind spot area beneath them.

Project: 1999-04. Report - Possum Risk and Impact on Radiata Pine– Final Report

• Many forest blocks suffer possum damage throughout the life of the stand although its impact on stand health and productivity is probably confined to the first 15 or 20 years of growth. Visual damage to many stands, particularly those adjacent to indigenous forest, suggest possums are having a significant impact on tree form and providing entry to such pathogens as Diplodia. Although remedial action is available to managers, the impact of damage over the life of the stand is unclear.

 Hosking

Project: 1999-03. Report - Biological Control of Broom: Host Range Testing of the Broom Gall Mite Aceria genistae

• Landcare Research was contracted by the Forest Health Research Collaborative (FHRC) to carry out host range testing of the gall mite, Aceria genistae, a potential biocontrol agent for broom, Cytisus scoparius, in New Zealand from June 1999 to October 2000

 Project: 1999-02. Report - Canopy Indicator Assessment: A Method for Monitoring Brushtail Possum (Trichosurus vulpecula) Damage to Pine Plantations

• Brushtail possums (Trichosurus vulpecula) now occupy most areas within New Zealand that are suitable for plantation forestry. Possums browse the terminal shoots of pine seedlings, bite and strip the bark of young stems to get at the cambial tissue, remove needles and cones, and bend or break terminal shoots and lateral branches in the upper portion of the tree. Damage is most commonly reported from young stands. It rarely kills established trees, but can lead to reduced vigour, loss of apical dominance, and an increased incidence of fungal diseases. Where possums are suspected of damaging pine plantations forest managers need to be able to determine when control is required, which areas should have priority, whether control achieves its goals, and when further control measures will be necessary. Reliable inferences and predictions about possum damage can only be obtained from robust, quantitative data. In this manual we discuss the design of surveys to monitor possum damage in pine plantations, and describe a new method for assessing possum damage to pine trees. Canopy Indicator Assessment is a scoring method that uses ground–based assessment of individual trees to determine the nature and extent of possum damage within pine stands, and the degree to which this is reduced as a result of possum control operations. Options for analysing data are outlined.

Payton, Frampton

770.65 kB

.pdf

2003

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 Project: 1999-01. Report - Induced Resistance in Pinus radiata Against Fusarium circinatum

Pitch canker, caused by Fusarium circinatum, has proven extremely destructive to wild and amenity Pinus radiata stands in California, and is a potentially devastating disease to P. radiata plantation forestry in New Zealand. Conventional disease control strategies have proven ineffective and whilst selection for resistance appears viable in the long term it can provide no protection for currently growing trees. HortResearch scientists have developed alternative disease control strategies for P. radiata based upon resistance elicitors and biological control agents (BCAs). These strategies have provided effective control of Sphaeropsis sapinea (Diplodia pinea) in glasshouse trials and are currently being assessed for Botrytis control in a commercial nursery. This research would investigate the potential of these strategies to confer resistance to F. circinatum infection on P. radiata seedlings. Experiments would be carried out in quarantine facilities at Forest Research, Rotorua. In summary, the combination of elicitors and BCAs presents a multi-component approach to disease control which may offer a strategy to reduce early disease-related mortality, and early establishment of chronic disease.

Reglinksi,

Dick

 June

2001

Project 1998-06 - Swiss Needles Cast of Douglas-Fir - A Review

A comprehensive review of the published literature of Phaeocryptopus gaeumannii on Pseudotsuga menziesii, with emphases on potential control and management options, particularly in relation to the growth of Douglas fir in New Zealand. Emphases will also be placed on more recent research developments.

Forest Research

Project: 1998-05. Pine Pitch Canker - Seed Treatments and Seed Testing

Recent results from researchers in California (Dr T Gordon pers. comm.) indicate that a percentage of the Pinus radiata seed collected from pine pitch canker infected areas carries a deep-seated infection of Fusarium subglutinans f sp. pini which cannot be detected by the seed screening procedures currently in use in New Zealand. Furthermore seedlings grown from such seed may not manifest this latent infection for several months following germination. This information has led MAF Quarantine to impose further restrictions on the importation of pine seed from pitch canker infected areas. The Chief Plants Officer has approved the categorisation of F. subglutinans f. sp. pini as a Risk Group 2 pest. All seed imports will now require Level 3 (high security) post entry quarantine screening. This categorisation will severely curtail the importation into New Zealand of genetic material as seed from a number of locations.

An effective seed treatment which can demonstrably eliminate seed infections may lead to a relaxation of these restrictions. In Australia AQIS requires heat treatment of pine seed imported from North America before release. However it is not known whether this treatment will eradicate F. subgIutinans f. sp. pini from conifer seeds.

We propose contracting a programme in California to heat-treat F. subglutinans f. sp. pini infested seedlots with different temperature/time combinations to test for the effectiveness of eliminating the fungus Preliminary evaluation of the limits imposed by reduction of germination percentages would be carried out in New Zealand. The effectiveness of a recently developed fungicide with putative eradicant properties would also be tested in the programme.

As there remains some doubt about the potential for Douglas fir seed to carry F. subglutinans f. sp. pini the programme could be expanded to evaluate the risk that this seed poses. Douglas fir seed would be collected from pitch canker-infected areas where Douglas fir and radiata pine grow in mixed stands to test for both external and internally-borne infection.

Dick, Turner

Project 1998-04 Cyclaneusma Needle-Cast Bulletin

Over the last 25 years the Forest Health group at FRI have undertaken a considerable amount of research on Cyclaneusma minus. Much of this work has been published in various papers, and recent work has been documented in unpublished project records. It is proposed to produce a bulletin on Cyclaneusma that covers all the work carried out so far on the biology of the fungus, its effect on growth, and methods of control. The part on biology of the fungus will cover symptoms, infection cycle, and taxonomy of the fungus. There is evidence that there are three strains of Cyclaneusma that affect Pinus radiata in New Zealand, the distribution of these strains will be shown. Research is currently being undertaken on the pathogenicity of each strain, results to date will be presented. Data on the effect of Cyclaneusma on tree growth have been collected from trials at Northland, Auckland, Kaingaroa, East Cape, Wellington, Nelson and Otago. Estimates of the growth loss of individual trees and of stand growth will be made. The incidence and severity of the disease in specific regions will be shown, based on results of aerial surveys and data collected by Forest Health Officers.

Results from trials set up to determine if the disease can be managed by selective thinning will be presented, along with results from trials on chemical control. The effect of pruning and thinning on disease incidence and severity will be discussed. All the research on Cyclaneusma carried out by FRI will be presented in a single published up-to-date document, which will make referring to the disease much easier than referencing separate papers that were published over a span of 10 years.

Bulman, Gadgil

1022.68 KB

.pdf

2001

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Project 1998-03 - Sphaeropsis sapinea (Diplodia pinea) - A Review

A substantial body of work on the Sphaeropsis sapinea (Diplodia pinea) diseases of Pinus radiata in New Zealand was carried out over a period of 15 years (1972 - 1987) by Dr S Chou based at the Forest Research Institute. The experimental programme covered whorl canker, crown wilt and primary shoot infection. Results from the trials led to recommendations for minimising infection of pruned stubs and to an understanding of the circumstances and conditions under which the less common crown wilt and shoot infection occur, thereby allowing identification of sites where these diseases might be significant. Field observations of apparent variation in susceptibility to shoot infection were followed by glasshouse testing of the progeny of resistant trees and a programme investigating the relationship of levels of certain monoterpenes in shoots and the absence of dieback. A series of publications, and a number of unpublished FRI reports cover this work..

Dick

June 1999

Project: 1998-02. Report - Cyclaneusma Needle-Cast in New Zealand

Chapter 1 describes the biology of Cyclaneusma minus - its pathogenicity, infection and spore dispersal periods, and effect of climate on disease severity. Cyclaneusma minus was proved to be pathogenic to Pinus radiata. There were two peak periods of needle-cast, in spring and autumn, and the greatest number of fruiting bodies was found in autumn-winter (May to August). Cyclaneusma minus spores occurred most frequently in autumn-winter and spore release was dependent on rainfall. Infection by C. minus first occurred in autumn-winter (May-June) when needles were about 8-9 months old. Most of the infected needles were shed when they were about a year old, but some needles were retained until the following winter. The peak infection period is during autumn-winter, if rainfall is frequent and daily mean temperatures are above 10˚C during that period then severe needle-cast may be expected the following spring.

Project 1998-02 - Database of New Zealand plant diseases

It gives comprehensive coverage of published records (up to June 1999) of fungal pathogens on tree and shrub hosts in New Zealand. Trees have been liberally interpreted, and disease records have been extracted from the literature for all trees (plantation, exotic, indigenous, fruit, shrubs). The database currently contains 10,487 entries. Set up by Landcare Research New Zealand Ltd

McKenzie, Pennycook, Thoreau

Link to website

June 1999

Project 1998-01 - Report: Multiple–Entry Key Aphids on Forest Trees in New Zealand

A multiple entry key for wingless and winged aphids (Homoptera: Aphididae) on New Zealand forest trees is described. Approximately 25 aphid species found on economically important forest trees as well as at least 30 species not found in New Zealand, but considered to be of quarantine importance, are included. Simple key characters in discriminating matrices are used for aphid identification.

Teulon

1999

Project 1997-04 Report - Field Guide to Common Pests, Diseases and Other Disorders of Radiata Pine in New Zealand

This guide describes the common disorders of radiata pine plantations which, unless otherwise stated, occur throughout the whole of New Zealand. It is concerned primarily with damage caused by pests, diseases, and environmental factors, and the key features which aid their identification. Care should be taken when diagnosing disorders of radiata pine as some agents cause similar symptoms which may be easily confused, and more than one agent may be present on a tree.

The guide was compiled with the assistance of Roger Crabtree and Margaret Dick, and others from the Forest Health, Plant Protection Chemistry, and Soils groups of Forest Research. Funding support was provided from the New Zealand Forest Health Research Collaborative. All photographs are by Forest Research staff unless otherwise indicated.

Chapman

1999

Project 1997-03 - Report - Pitch Canker – the Threat to Australasia. A Discussion Paper

Pine pitch canker, caused by the fungus Fusarium subglutinans f. sp. pini is a serious disease of many species of pine and has been recorded from the USA, Haiti, South Africa, Mexico and Japan. It has proved to be particularly devastating to Pinus radiata in its natural range in California, where the disease was first reported in 1986. The fungus infects vegetative and reproductive plant parts of P. radiata of all ages. Shoots, branches, cones, seed, stems and exposed roots may all become infected. With the exception of seed, infected tissues become resin–soaked, developing a characteristic honey colour, and typically copious resin exudation occurs at the point of initial infection. Multiple branch infections may occur and dieback will generally spread within the crown prior to the initiation of stem infections. Mortality follows either girdling of the stem by several stem infections or attack by bark beetles attracted to stressed trees. Young trees (up to 4 years old) may wilt and die following a single basal infection at soil level and in these trees resin flow occurs on the stem at, or just above, the ground. Seedlings may develop root–rot typical of that caused by a range of common nursery soil pathogens, or damp–off if very young.

Dick, Bain

July 1997

Project 1997-02 - Report - Diagnostic spectral features of Pinus radiata foliage

Landcare Research, Palmerston North, measured and analysed the reflectance of Pinus radiata foliage to determine whether common forest health problems could be distinguished from healthy foliage and forest floor litter using spectral features in the visible to mid-infrared wavelength range. The client was the Forest Health Collective, Rotorua.

Trotter, Hosking

May 1998

Project 1997-01 - Report - An Introduction to the Diseases of Forest and Amenity Trees

This book has developed from notes prepared for teaching courses on forest and amenity tree diseases for tree health surveillance staff in government and industry, and is a basic introduction. Tree health surveillance in New Zealand concentrates on exotic plantation species and in particular Pinus radiata. However, knowledge of the diseases of some amenity and native species, especially in the urban landscape, is also required as surveillance staff may be required to carry out surveys for new disease introductions. The economic importance of tree species is a direct indicator of the amount of knowledge available and this is reflected in the examples used in the text with the majority of examples being drawn from plantation forestry. This book is not a fungicide manual and simply notes reports of treatments that have been tried.

The book falls into two sections: the first introduces some basic concepts in the study of plant diseases and fungal biology and is modelled on Callan & Funk (1994). Part two outlines a selection of tree diseases and has drawn heavily from Forest Research´s "Forest Pathology in New Zealand" leaflet series, with new information added where appropriate.

Ridley, Dick

2001