Soil-borne fungus killing pines in the south?

[Don K]

I heard some talk the other day that there is a fungus randomly killing pines by traveling through the soil and attacking through the root system. Death symptoms look alot like beetle kill. Yellowing of needles, dropping off and finally death. Does anyone know anything about this and if it can be stopped? I have seen some trees that died this year and I could find no logical explanation.

Don

[WDH]

Fomes annosus.  This fungus causes Annosus Root Rot.  Here is an excerpt on it.

The fungus Heterobasidion annosum (Fr.) Bref. (= Fomes annosus (Fr.) Karst.) causes a root and butt rot of conifers in many temperate parts of the world. The decay, called annosus root rot, often kills infected conifers; infected trees that survive grow more slowly and are susceptible to windthrow and bark beetle attack.

This disease occurs throughout much of the Eastern United States, but is most common and severe in the South, probably because of differences in climate or susceptibility of native tree species or both.

The fungus usually enters a healthy stand by infecting freshly cut stump surfaces, which makes annosus root rot a problem primarily in thinned pine plantations.

The fungus infects many species of conifers. In the East, annosus root rot occurs on jack, loblolly, longleaf, pitch, pond, red, sand, shortleaf, slash, Virginia, and white pines. It is a major cause of death of eastern red-cedar. Slash and loblolly, the most commonly planted species of southern pine, are very susceptible to this disease. Annosus root rot also has been reported to infect several hardwood species, though hardwoods appear to be much more resistant than conifers.

It seems to be worse on soil that has a sandy upper surface, especially on soils with a loamy sand or sandy loam A horizon texture.  These soils have thick topsoil horizons that are sandy and loamy down to 30" deep.  I have seen a good bit of it.  It is most prevalent after a thinning because the fungal spores are wind borne and they enter the fresh cut stumps to get into the soil.  Then the fungus moves into the roots of surrounding healthy trees.

[Don K]

Thanks Danny. I told somebody that you would probably know.

[stonebroke]

Is this the one you are supposed to treat for by using borax on the newly cut stumps?


Stonebroke

[WDH]

Yep, that is the one.

[tonich]

The Heterobasidion annosum occurs throughout our local species, but most commonly onto Norway Spruce. This is mainly due to the spruce’s typical horizontal root system, which is ideal provider of the fungi’s punk, from one tree to another.
In my region it appears to be an important forest management factor, which I’m familiar to in and out. ;)

[Pullinchips]

a new one is leptographium (SP), they have it on sandy soils like anosus.  Have had problems with it in places that also burn a lot associated with lobblolly decline.  a relitivly new thing over the last 3 yrs.  We had it at Ft. Jackson and Ft. Gordon and its been givin them hell at Benning.  Some question it read about it and decide for your self google it the FS has stuff on it and other stuff not yet published.   The symptoms are similar to anosus.

-Nate