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Forests
Special Issues
Forest Diseases and Pests: Recent Scientific Findings
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Forest Diseases and Pests: Recent Scientific Findings

A special issue of Forests (ISSN 1999-4907). This special issue belongs to the section "Forest Health".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (5 June 2024) | Viewed by 4740

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Milan Pernek

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Division of Forest Protection and Game Management, Croatian Forest Research Institute, Cvjetno Naselje 41, 10450 Jastrebarsko, Croatia
Interests: forest pests; biological control; population dynamics of pests; integrated pest management; phoretic mites; arboriculture
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Marta Kovač

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor Assistant
Division of Forest Protection and Game Management, Croatian Forest Research Institute, Cvjetno Naselje 41, 10450 Jastrebarsko, Croatia
Interests: forest entomology
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Forest diseases and pests have always had the ability to produce great damage to large forest areas, with severe consequences in terms of tree decline, economic loss, and reduced productivity. However, in the last few decades, the frequency and intensity of biotic disturbances have become so evident, thus causing ecosystem changes in forests worldwide and the loss of valuable tree species. Changing weather patterns, extreme climate events, and the differing responses of plants to these events are causing the emergence of new pests and diseases, with the invasive action of native species, and the appearance of more serious and frequent pest outbreaks.

The aim of this Special Issue is to gather recent knowledge and findings considering forest pests and diseases, which may include the following topics:

  • New forest diseases and pests;
  • Recent pest outbreaks;
  • Assessments of forest ecosystem effects;
  • Exotic species and their invasiveness;
  • Latent fungal endophytes that become pathogens;
  • Interactions between these organisms and their plant hosts.

This Special Issue will provide a resource for scientists, forest managers, and policymakers who are working in the sector of forest protection, disseminating new information on the recent occurrences of forest pathogens and pests, and emerging problems in forest health.

Dr. Milan Pernek
Guest Editor

Dr. Marta Kovač
Guest Editor Assistant

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Forests is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • new forest diseases
  • recent pest outbreaks
  • invasive pests and pathogens
  • host–pest interaction
  • latent fungal pathogens
  • forest health issues
  • changing climate

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Published Papers (4 papers)

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Research

16 pages, 3228 KiB  
Article
An Evaluation of a Winter Mortality Model for the Mountain Pine Beetle
by Devin W. Goodsman, Jim D. Weber and Katherine P. Bleiker
Forests 2024, 15(8), 1425; https://doi.org/10.3390/f15081425 - 14 Aug 2024
Viewed by 527
Abstract
The winter mortality of mountain pine beetle (Dendroctonus ponderosae Hopkins) larvae caused by temperatures below survivable thresholds and sudden decreases in temperature is among the most influential factors limiting population growth. Due to the importance of winter mortality in the demise of [...] Read more.
The winter mortality of mountain pine beetle (Dendroctonus ponderosae Hopkins) larvae caused by temperatures below survivable thresholds and sudden decreases in temperature is among the most influential factors limiting population growth. Due to the importance of winter mortality in the demise of mountain pine beetle infestations, a widely used winter mortality model was developed at the Canadian Forest Service and the United States Forest Service. It predicts lethal temperatures and survival probabilities given temperature time series over the winter season. We present a rare and possibly the first peer-reviewed validation of this winter mortality model, wherein we independently tested the model at a new region in Canada by comparing model predictions to the observed lower lethal temperature thresholds and cold-associated mortality. Model predictions were biologically reasonable but slightly biased. Bias was exacerbated by the inaccurate translation of air temperature data from weather stations to temperatures under the bark where larvae develop. The spatial prediction of relative mortality observed across the study area in Banff National Park was poor—likely because the mountainous terrain presents a difficult prediction challenge when under-bark temperatures are not directly observed. Our results will help inform users of model constraints and how to optimize the accuracy of model predictions. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Forest Diseases and Pests: Recent Scientific Findings)
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15 pages, 2563 KiB  
Article
Detection of Viruses in Special Stands of Common Ash Reveals Insights into the Virome of Fraxinus excelsior
by Marius Rehanek, Rim Al Kubrusli, Kira Köpke, Susanne von Bargen and Carmen Büttner
Forests 2024, 15(8), 1379; https://doi.org/10.3390/f15081379 - 7 Aug 2024
Viewed by 750
Abstract
Plant diseases are mostly multicausal with several factors influencing the health status of affected hosts. Common ash (Fraxinus excelsior), a significant tree species of European forests, is currently mostly endangered by ash dieback, caused by the invasive fungus Hymenoscyphus fraxineus. [...] Read more.
Plant diseases are mostly multicausal with several factors influencing the health status of affected hosts. Common ash (Fraxinus excelsior), a significant tree species of European forests, is currently mostly endangered by ash dieback, caused by the invasive fungus Hymenoscyphus fraxineus. However, contributing factors, including pathogenic viruses, are poorly understood. Here, we report the results of a virus screening conducted on selected special stands of F. excelsior. Over three consecutive years, ash trees from different origins were tested, including leaf material from mature seed trees, young trees and ash seedlings from the natural regeneration. Using RT-PCR, we screened for five viruses, including the generalist species ArMV (Nepovirus arabis) and CLRV (Nepovirus avii), as well as newly discovered viruses in ash, including the emaravirus ASaV (Emaravirus fraxini), the idaeovirus PrLBaV (Idaeovirus ligustri), and cytorhabdoviruses. The results revealed a high virus diversity in common ash. An association of ASaV detection with specific leaf symptoms, including shoestring, chlorotic ringspots, and vein yellowing, was documented. An analyses of relevant gene products of cytorhabdoviruses obtained from ashes of different sites revealed sequence diversities and two distinct phylogenetic groups present in ash populations. Signatures of novel viruses from different families have been identified by high-throughput sequencing. Together, our results provide insights into the virus diversity and distribution of viruses in ash and expand our knowledge about the virome of this endangered tree species. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Forest Diseases and Pests: Recent Scientific Findings)
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15 pages, 3747 KiB  
Article
Characterization of Fomes fomentarius s.s. and F. inzengae in Belgian Beech Forests
by Salvatore Pirronitto, Felix Teng, Cécile Verheyen, Vincent Gaucet, Jean-Marc Henin, Benoit Jourez, Sophie Schmitz and Anne Chandelier
Forests 2024, 15(2), 221; https://doi.org/10.3390/f15020221 - 23 Jan 2024
Viewed by 1357
Abstract
Real-time PCRs were developed to characterize Fomes fomentarius lineages occurring in the beech forests of the Ardennes (southern Belgium). A collection of F. fomentarius sensu lato isolates was built up in 2020 and 2021 from basidiocarps developing on beech trunks, stumps, or logs. [...] Read more.
Real-time PCRs were developed to characterize Fomes fomentarius lineages occurring in the beech forests of the Ardennes (southern Belgium). A collection of F. fomentarius sensu lato isolates was built up in 2020 and 2021 from basidiocarps developing on beech trunks, stumps, or logs. Two of the 148 isolates tested (monokaryotic and dikaryotic) belonged to the species Fomes inzengae, while the other isolates corresponded to the species Fomes fomentarius sensu stricto. As far as we know, this is the first record of Fomes inzengae in Belgium. This fungus was also found in a mature tree not showing any signs of decay. This demonstrates its endophytic nature. Growth tests at different temperatures, as well as wood degradation tests in accordance with standard NBN EN113 showed different behavior between both species. Passive sticky traps were installed during two growing seasons at the two sites where F. inzengae had been reported. Spores were detected at all collection times between April and July, using the specific molecular test developed. Moreover, in 2023, the DNA concentrations measured were 100 times higher than in 2022. The implications of this new species in Belgium is discussed in the context of climate change. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Forest Diseases and Pests: Recent Scientific Findings)
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15 pages, 11310 KiB  
Article
Identifying the Biological Characteristics of Anthracnose Pathogens of Blueberries (Vaccinium corymbosum L.) in China
by Wei-Kun Feng, Chong-He Wang, Yun-Wei Ju, Zeng-Xin Chen, Xue Wu and Dong-Lu Fang
Forests 2024, 15(1), 117; https://doi.org/10.3390/f15010117 - 7 Jan 2024
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1652
Abstract
Vaccinium corymbosum L., commonly known as blueberry, is a valuable small fruit tree in terms of its economic significance and is primarily found in China within the regions of Heilongjiang and Jilin provinces. Additionally, it thrives in the areas spanning the middle and [...] Read more.
Vaccinium corymbosum L., commonly known as blueberry, is a valuable small fruit tree in terms of its economic significance and is primarily found in China within the regions of Heilongjiang and Jilin provinces. Additionally, it thrives in the areas spanning the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River. Beyond their economic value, blueberries play a crucial role within forest ecosystems, serving as a significant energy source and source of nutrients. Their presence contributes significantly to fostering stability, enhancing biodiversity, and acting as an indicator of environmental quality within forest ecosystems. Since August 2022, an unknown leaf disease has been found on a large scale in blueberry fields in Nanjing, Jiangsu Province, China. The disease causes leaf curling, wilting, and even early defoliation, severely reducing the yield and production value of blueberries. The pathogenicity test confirmed the virulence of the isolates (NG5-1, NG5-2, NG5-3, NG5-4, N2-1, and N2-2) against V. corymbosum. The two pathogens were identified as Colletotrichum fructicola and C. aenigma by observing the morphological characteristics of the isolates and combined with multilocus phylogenetic analyses (ITS, CAL, ACT, TUB2, ApMat, and GAPDH). Blueberry anthracnose, caused by C. aenigma, is the first report of this disease in China. The biological characteristics of C. aenigma were investigated under different conditions, including temperature, pH, light conditions, culture medium, and carbon and nitrogen sources. The optimal temperature for growth was determined to be within the range of 25–30 °C; C. aenigma exhibits optimal growth at a pH of 7–8. Mycelial growth is favored under conditions of partial light, whereas complete darkness promotes spore production. It was found that PDA medium was the most favorable medium for C. aenigma mycelial growth, and MM medium was the best medium for spore production; the most suitable carbon sources for colony growth and spore production were sorbitol and glucose, respectively, and the most suitable nitrogen source was peptone. This study furnishes a theoretical foundation for a more scientifically informed approach to the prevention and control of anthracnose on V. corymbosum. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Forest Diseases and Pests: Recent Scientific Findings)
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