Fungi in Living Symptomless Needles of Pinus sylvestris with Respect to Some Observed Disease Processes

The mycoflora in living symptomless needles of Pinus sylvestris was investigated in three 5–8 year-old plantations in Southern Poland from 1987 to 1990. The needles from trees with symptoms of the autumn needle cast and from trees without such symptoms were treated separately. In total 960 of the current year and 720 of the previous year needles were collected. Fungi were isolated from 80.1 % of needles and 3671 cultures belonging to 86 fungal taxa were obtained. Seven species of fungi showed the rate of infection above 5%: Anthostomella formosa, Lophodermium seditiosum, Cydaneusma minus, Cenangium ferruginosum, Lophodermium pinastri, Sclerophoma pythiophila and Anthostomella pedemontana. The frequency of infection of needles by these species depended on needle age, season of the year, calendar year and site. The spread of fungi in needles was not too high. They were found in 35.8 % of needle sections (isolations were made from 10,080 sections). The needle base, middle and top were infected with more or less similar frequency, but the differences were considerable for the individual fungal species. Anthostomella formosa and A. pedemontana generally occurred slightly more frequently on needles of trees without symptoms of the autumn needle cast, while the other four common species ( Cenangium ferruginosum, Cyclaneusma minus, Lophodermium pinastri, Lophodermium seditiosum ) generally occurred more frequently on needles of trees showing such symptoms. There were considerable differences in this respect among plantations investigated.