Forest Pathology and Entomology Projects at Auburn University's    

Forest Health Dynamics Laboratory

Undergraduate Research Projects

Page last updated on: March 26, 2014

Daniel Fogg Graduated with BS in Wildlife

The pathogenicity of several Leptographium species, as well as Heterobasidium annosum to loblolly (Pinus taeda) and longleaf pine (Pinus palustris) is currently being investigated by a graduate student George Matusick. Several root inhibiting fungi of the genus Leptographium have been linked to the premature deaths of plants around the world. Recently some of these same fungi have been isolated from forests in the southeastern U.S., and have been linked to the premature death of several pine species including loblolly and longleaf pines.  George has found that when these fungi are inoculated into different parts of the tree (roots vs stem) the host reaction is different.  Therefore, my project is to determine if there are differences in fungal growth between different tissue types of pine.  The study consists of sampling mature, sapling, and seedling root and stem tissues from both loblolly and longleaf pines and inoculating the tissues with five fungal species (Leptographium procerum (P), L terebrantis (T), L. serpens (S), L. huntii (H), Heterobasidium annosum (A)). The growth rate of the fungi on each tissue host will be measured.  Growth rates between fungi are expected to differ between tissue type and age. (Year 1 of study)

The pathogenicity of several Leptographium species, as well as Heterobasidium annosum to loblolly (Pinus taeda) and longleaf pine (Pinus palustris) is currently being investigated by a graduate student George Matusick. Several root inhibiting fungi of the genus Leptographium have been linked to the premature deaths of plants around the world. Recently some of these same fungi have been isolated from forests in the southeastern U.S., and have been linked to the premature death of several pine species including loblolly and longleaf pines.  George has found that when these fungi are inoculated into different parts of the tree (roots vs stem) the host reaction is different.  Therefore, my project is to determine if there are differences in fungal growth between different tissue types of pine.  The study consists of inoculating the roots and boles of loblolly and longleaf pine with five fungal species (Leptographium procerum (P), L terebrantis (T), L. serpens (S), L. huntii (H), Heterobasidium annosum (A)). The host response (lesion length, lesion depth, lesion area) of the  will be measured.  Lesions are expected to differ  between fungi and between root and bole. (Year 2 of study)

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