Cross-colonization of scots pine (Pinus sylvestris) seedlings by the ectomycorrhizal fungus Paxillus involutus in the presence of inhibitory levels of Cd and Zn

The effects of Cd and Zn on cross-colonization by Paxillus involutus of Scots pine seedlings was examined by using pairs of ectomycorrhizal (ECM) and non-mycorrhizal (NM) seedlings grown in the same vessel. This was done to assess, first, the ability of P. involutus to colonize NM Scots pine seedlings by growth from colonized roots of other Scots pine seedlings in the presence of Cd or Zn, and, second whether ECM colonization of Scots pine by P. involutus provided a competitive advantage over NM seedlings. Ectomycorrhizal colonization of Scots pine was shown to be more sensitive than Scots pine itself to Cd and Zn, but prior colonization did provide a competitive advantage with respect to biomass production. This beneficial effect over NM seedlings was, however, equal in the control, Cd and Zn treatments, and was due simply to growth stimulation in the presence of ECM colonization. Cross-colonization from an ECM to a NM seedling was reduced but not prevented by Cd and Zn. Cd had a more negative effect on cross-colonization than on initial colonization of seedlings, whereas Zn had an equally inhibitory effect on both parameters. These results have important implications for plant establishment on metal-contaminated sites. If cross-colonization between plants is reduced by toxic metals, plant establishment on contaminated sites might be retarded.

A rapid staining-assisted wood sampling method for PCR-based detection of pine wood nematode Bursaphelenchus xylophilus in Pinus massoniana wood tissue

For reasons of unequal distribution of more than one nematode species in wood, and limited availability of wood samples required for the PCR-based method for detecting pinewood nematodes in wood tissue of Pinus massoniana, a rapid staining-assisted wood sampling method aiding PCR-based detection of the pine wood nematode Bursaphelenchus xylophilus (Bx) in small wood samples of P. massoniana was developed in this study. This comprised a series of new techniques: sampling, mass estimations of nematodes using staining techniques, and lowest limit Bx nematode mass determination for PCR detection. The procedure was undertaken on three adjoining 5-mg wood cross-sections, of 0.5 · 0.5 · 0.015 cm dimension, that were cut from a wood sample of 0.5 · 0.5 · 0.5 cm initially, then the larger wood sample was stained by acid fuchsin, from which two 5-mg wood cross-sections (that adjoined the three 5-mg wood cross-sections, mentioned above) were cut. Nematode-staining-spots (NSSs) in each of the two stained sections were counted under a microscope at 100· magnification. If there were eight or more NSSs present, the adjoining three sections were used for PCR assays. The B. xylophilus – specific amplicon of 403 bp (DQ855275) was generated by PCR assay from 100.00% of 5-mg wood cross-sections that contained more than eight Bx NSSs by the PCR assay. The entire sampling procedure took only 10 min indicating that it is suitable for the fast estimation of nematode numbers in the wood of P. massonina as the prelimary sample selections for other more expensive Bx-detection methods such as PCR assay.

Pine wilt disease and the pinewood nematode

Pine wilt disease (PWD) is one of the most damaging events affecting conifer forests (in particular Pinus spp.), in the Far East (Japan, China and Korea), North America (USA and Canada) and, more recently, in the European Union (Portugal). In Japan it became catastrophic, damaging native pine species (Pinus thunbergii and P. densiflora), and becoming the main forest problem, forcing some areas to be totally replaced by other tree species. The pine wilt nematode (PWN) Bursaphelenchus xylophilus, endemic, with minor damage, to North America, was introduced in Japan in the early XX century and then spread to Asia (China and Korea) in the 1980s. In 1999 it was detected for the first time in Portugal, where, due to timely detection and immediate government action, it was initially (1999-2008) contained to a small area 30 km SE of Lisbon. In 2008, the PWN spread again to central Portugal, the entire country now being classified as “affected area”. Being an A1 quarantine pest, the EU acted to avoid further PWN spreading and to eradicate it, by actions including financial support for surveyes and eradication, annual inspections and research programs. Experience from control actions in Japan included aerial spraying of insecticides to control the insect vector (the Cerambycid beetle Monochamus alternatus), injection of nematicides to the trunk of infected trees, slashing and burning of large areas out of control, beetle traps, biological control and tree breeding programs. These actions allowed some positive results, but also unsuccessful cases due to the PWN spread and virulence. Other Asian countries also followed similar strategies, but the nematode is still spreading in many regions. In Portugal, despite lower damage than Asia, PWD is still significant with high losses to the forestry industry. New ways of containing PWD include preventing movement of contaminated wood, cutting symptomatic trees and monitoring. Despite a national and EU legislative body, no successful strategy to control and eventually eradicate the nematode and the disease will prevail without sound scientific studies regarding the nematode and vector(s) bioecology and genetics, the ecology and ecophysiology of the pine tree species, P. pinaster and P. pinea , as well as the genomics and proteomics of pathogenicity (resistance/ susceptibility).

Caracterización y evaluación del bosque natural del pino azul (Pinus maximartinezii Rzed) en el cerro de Piñones de Juchipila, Zacatecas

Tesis (Maestría en Ciencias en Producción Agrícola) UANL

Inducción de organogénesis y embriogénesis somática en Pinus cembroides (Zucc) y Pinus halepenesis Mill

Tesis (Maestría en Ciencias en Producción Agrícola) UANL

Efecto de quemas prescritas en el escurrimiento del suelo en un rodal de Pinus arizonica Engelm. en Madera, Chih. [por] Héctor Eligio Alanís Morales

Tesis (Maestría en Ciencias Forestales) U.A.N.L.

Evaluación de crecimiento y productividad de Pinus patula Schl. et Cham., en la región de Huayacocotla, Veracruz, México [por] Carlos Rutilio Monroy Rivera

Tesis (Maestría en Ciencias Forestales) U.A.N.L.

Asociación de variables dasonómicas a diferentes niveles de producción de conos en pino piñonero Pinus cembroides Zucc. en el sur de Nuevo León, México

Tesis (Maestría en Ciencias Forestales) U.A.N.L.

Ecuaciones de volumen y funciones de ahusamiento para Pinus durangensis Mart. y Pinus teocote Schl. et Cham. del ejido Vencedores, San Dimas, Durango, México [por] Cruz Contreras Aviña

Tesis (Maestría en Ciencias Forestales) U.A.N.L.

Ajuste de ecuaciones de volumen y funciones de ahusamiento para Pinus teocote Schl. et. Cham y Pinus pseudostrobus Lindl. el estado de Nuevo León

Tesis (Maestría en Ciencias Forestales) U.A.N.L.

Caracterización de la productividad y estructura de Pinus hartwegii Lindl. en tres gradientes altitudinales en el cerro Potosí, Galeana, Nuevo León

Tesis (Maestro en Ciencias Forestales) U.A.N.L.

Patrones de dinámica de un ecosistema multicohortal de Pinus culminicola Andresen & Beaman y Pinus hartwegii Lindl. en una fracción de la Sierra Madre Oriental por Marco Aurelio González Tagle

Tesis (Maestría en Ciencias Forestales) U.A.N.L.

Análisis estructural en un ecosistema multicohortal de Pinus-Quercus en una fracción de la Sierra Madre Oriental [por] Luis Mario Torres Espinosa

Tesis (Maestro en Ciencias Forestales) U.A.N.L.

Caracterización silvícola y estructural de rodales de Pinus pseudostrobus Lindl. en el sur de Nuevo León, México [por] Marco Antonio Quiñones Bayona.

Tesis (Maestría en Ciencias Forestales) U.A.N.L.

Micorrización de Pinus greggii Engelm. como una medida de prevención del establecimiento de tres cepas de Fusarium oxysporum Schlecht. causantes de damping-off

Tesis (Maestría en Ciencias Forestales) U.A.N.L.