Dragan Karadzic

The most important parasitic and saprophytic fungi in Austrian pine and Scots pine plantations in Serbia

In Austrian pine plantations in Serbia, the greatest damage is caused by the fungi Mycosphaerella pini, Sphaeropsis sapinea, Cenangium ferruginosum, Germmeniella abietina (in the mountain regions) and occasionally Armillaria spp., Lophodermium spp. (seditiosum, conigenum, pinastri) and Cyclaneusma niveum. In Scots pine plantations, the greatest damage is caused by the fungi Heterobasidion annosum (especially in plantations on sandy soils), Armillaria spp, Lophodermium seditiosum, L. pinastri, Cyclaneusma minus and Sphaeropsis sapinea. Damage caused by rust fungi (Coleosporium sennecionis, Melampsora pinitorqua and Cronartium flaccidum) occurs less frequently. In mountainous regions in Scots pine plantations, great damage is caused by Phacidium infestans, Lophodermella sulcigena and Gremmeniella abietina.

The most frequent powdery mildews on forest woody species and their impact

The most frequent fungus species known as powdery mildews, causing the diseases of forest trees, were studied. Among forest woody species, oaks are especially susceptible to powdery mildew attack, and among them pedunculate oak (Quercus robur L) is highly endangered. This paper reports 49 species of powdery mildews. However, Microsphaera alphitoides has the greatest significance in forest economy, causing the decline of seedlings in nurseries and also aggravating the natural regeneration of pedunculate oak. This fungus, together with gypsy moth and honey fungus (Armillaria mellea) participates in the dying of old oak trees. Powdery mildews can be successfully controlled by fungicides, and sulphur fungicides Karatan and Rubigan are especially effective.

Hypoxylon species on beech and other broadleaves

Fungi in the genus Hypoxylon cause wood decay and most of them are saprophytes on dead wood or parasites of weakness. The following species in this genus were identified in this study performed at several localities in Serbia and Montenegro: H. deustum, H. fragiforme, H. nummularium, H. multiforme, H. rubiginosum and H. fuscum. Among them the most significant species is H. deustum, the fungus causing root and butt rot of standing beech trees. It was recorded from all coppice and high forests of beech. This paper presents the morphological characteristics of the recorded fungi their range, plant hosts and significance.

Parasitic and saprophytic fungi occurring in connection with Sphaeropsis sapinea Dyko & Sutton

The study of epidemiology and significance of the parasitic fungus Sphaeropsis sapinea in Serbia and Montenegro shows that some parasitic and saprophytic fungi occur in connection with this pathogen. Among the 13 identified species, the most frequent are Truncatella hartigi and Cenangium accum. Dothistroma septospora is a fungus with the most expressed pathogenic properties among those that colonize Austrian pine needles. A new data is that the above two fungi can occur also on the needles of the same current-year shoots, i.e. that D. septospora can be in succession with S. sapinea when it colonizes the needles on the shoots which were previously infected by S. sapinea. The remaining identified species occurred individually and they are the weak parasites or the saprophytes.