Red band needle blight

 

Summary

Red band needle blight (Dothistroma septosporum), so called because of the colourful symptoms it shows on pine, is an economically important disease of conifers.  It causes premature needle defoliation, resulting in loss of yield and, in severe cases, tree death.

Defoliation of 30 year old Corsican pine infected with red band needle blight

Severely defoliated crown of Corsican pine infected with red band needle blight

Until recently the disease was primarily of concern in the Southern Hemisphere, particularly on radiata pine (Pinus radiata).  However, since the 1990’s there has been an increase in disease incidence in Europe, mainly on sub-species of black pine (Pinus nigra) and also on lodgepole pine (Pinus contorta ssp. latifolia) in Canada.

Since the late 1990’s the disease status has changed markedly in Britain.  It is now found in many forests growing susceptible pine species and threatens the future of one of the most productive commercial pine species, Corsican pine (Pinus nigra ssp. laricio). 

In other countries where the disease has a significant economic impact, successful methods of control have tended to focus on fungicide treatments.  However, in Britain the focus is on the use of resistant species and good stand management.

Research objectives

• Monitor the extent and severity of the disease in Britain
• Increase our understanding of the fungal biology to aid management decisions
• Assess the impact of the disease on timber yields
• Assess the susceptibility of alternative species
• Assess the impact of changing forest management practices on disease incidence and severity.

Funders and partners

This research is funded by the Forestry Commission Red band needle blight programme, Forestry Commission Operational Support Unit and the East Anglia Forest District.

Forest Research is funding a 3-year PhD studentship on the variation within the UK population of Dothistroma septosporum. The student, Sarah Archibald, started this project in March 2005, and is co-supervised by Dr Anna Brown Forest Research and Dr Simon Archer at Imperial College London.

Further information on this disease

Further information on this disease and other shoot diseases of pine can be found in two Forestry Commission Information Notes:

• Red band needle blight of pine ^(PDF-1.34Mb)
  Forestry Commission Information Note 49
• Shoot diseases of pine ^(PDF-377Kb)
  Forestry Commission Information Note 68

Status

The programme started in 2004 and is on-going.

Contact

Dr Anna Brown
Forest Research
Alice Holt Lodge
Farnham
Surrey GU10 4LH

Tel: 01420 22255
Tel direct: 01420 526246 (direct dial)
Fax: 01420 23653
Email: anna.brown@forestry.gsi.gov.uk