FHRC reports - New Zealand Forest Owners Association

Project: 2002-02. Report - Induced seedling resistance in Pinus radiata seedlings to pinke pitch canker

jo@hullaballoo.co.nz (Super User) — Mon, 07 Oct 2019 15:15:17 +1300

A study was conducted to assess the potential for using elicitors to protect Pinus radiata seedlings against infection with Fusarium circinatum, the causal agent of pine pitch canker. Elicitor treatments, applied either six weeks or one week before inoculation, were compared with a commercial fungicide applied 1 week before inoculation. Treated plants were wounded then inoculated with either 10 spores or 100 spores at the wound site in order to mimic low and high disease pressure conditions. Elicitor treatment and fungicide treatment reduced the onset of disease development, as indicated by a reduction in incidence and lesion length. At low inoculum levels all of the treatments significantly reduced disease incidence and severity. At high inoculum levels there were no significant differences between treatments during the early stages of symptom development. However, by 50 days post inoculation it was apparent that there was a significant reduction in plant mortality on seedlings that had been treated with elicitor at 1 week before inoculation. These results confirm our previous findings that elicitor treatment can reduce the severity of infections caused by F. circinatum. There are indications that the plant response may be overcome by high inoculum pressure, particularly when the duration between treatment and inoculation extends to six weeks. Repeated elicitor applications may be advisable under high disease pressure conditions.

Project: 2001-05. Report - Risk modelling & strategies for eradication/control of gypsy moth for New Zealand

jo@hullaballoo.co.nz (Super User) — Mon, 07 Oct 2019 15:12:49 +1300

If GM establishes in New Zealand and eradication is unsuccessful, then ongoing population suppression will be required. If GM arrives in NZ without its natural control agents, as is most likely, then the population will go through substantial outbreaks. Early introduction of a range of agents, suitable for use in NZ, will be required

Project: 1998-02 - Database of New Zealand plant diseases

jo@hullaballoo.co.nz (Super User) — Mon, 07 Oct 2019 14:56:00 +1300

It gives comprehensive coverage of published records (up to June 1999) of fungal pathogens on tree and shrub hosts in New Zealand. Trees have been liberally interpreted, and disease records have been extracted from the literature for all trees (plantation, exotic, indigenous, fruit, shrubs). The database currently contains 10,487 entries. Set up by Landcare Research New Zealand Ltd

Project: 2009-02. Report - Revision of the NZFFA web site on forest pests & disease

jo@hullaballoo.co.nz (Super User) — Mon, 07 Oct 2019 14:49:59 +1300

Pests & disease information database for forestry

Project: 2002-05. Report - Identification of the pheromone of the defoliator Pseudocoremia suavis (Lepidoptera: Geometridae)

jo@hullaballoo.co.nz (Super User) — Mon, 07 Oct 2019 14:31:47 +1300

This report summarises work undertaken in 2002–2004, for the New Zealand Forest Health Research Collaborative, to identify the sex pheromone of the common forest looper, Pseudocoremia suavis (Lepidoptera: Geometridae). Pseudocoremia suavis is a polyphagous native moth whose larvae also eat the leaves of Pinus radiata. In the past P. suavis has been responsible for major deforestation in P. radiata plantations notably at Eyrewell Forest, North Canterbury and in Kaingaroa Forest, Bay of Plenty.

Project: 2002-04. Report - Fusarium circinatum – an agent of damping–off disease

jo@hullaballoo.co.nz (Super User) — Mon, 07 Oct 2019 14:31:46 +1300

The susceptibility of six plantation and two pasture species of plants, to damping–off caused by Fusarium circinatum and to Fusarium oxysporum, was compared.

Fusarium circinatum is the agent of pine pitch canker disease and can cause damping–off of seedlings in addition to causing canker and dieback of older plants. Fusarium oxysporum is a common inhabitant of nursery soils in New Zealand, causing damping–off and root rot to a number of species when soil moisture is high and conditions are conducive to disease.

Project: 2002-03. Report - Field guide to common pests, diseases and other disorders of Radiata pine in New Zealand. Other disorders

jo@hullaballoo.co.nz (Super User) — Mon, 07 Oct 2019 14:31:45 +1300

Field guide contains extract of pages 40–55; "Other Disorders". Covers various mineral deficiencies and types of damage caused by weather or pesticide

Project: 2002-01. Report - Assessment and Control of Dothistroma needle-blight

jo@hullaballoo.co.nz (Super User) — Mon, 07 Oct 2019 14:31:42 +1300

The object of this handbook is to provide a source of reference and an introduction to the routine forestry practice of treating exotic pines against Dothistroma needle-blight.The information provided has been gained from over 30 years of research and experience in operational control of Dothistroma needle-blight.This handbook updates three previous versions,published in 1979,1982,and 1988,and it is hoped that readers will find it a useful reference guide for running a successfulDothistroma control programme.

Project: 2001-08. Report - Dothistroma prediction model (2001–08)

jo@hullaballoo.co.nz (Super User) — Mon, 07 Oct 2019 14:31:41 +1300

A model to predict the Dothistroma spray programme was developed by testing the effect of rainfall, raindays, and inoculum in previous season on the percentage of susceptible area sprayed in individual years from 1966 to 2002 at Kaingaroa and Kinleith. For both data sets a multiple regression using average monthly rainfall from November–February (including October or March rainfall if 200 mm or more), total raindays of at least 0.1 mm from November–February, and the percentage of susceptible area sprayed in the previous season to predict area sprayed gave reasonable results. The Kaingaroa data set gave an R2 of 0.53 and for Kinleith R2 = 0.70. Some of the unexplained variation was attributable to incomplete or inaccurate input data, management decisions influencing area sprayed, and, possibly, exceptional climatic events such as a wetter and warmer than average September or April.

Project: 2001-06. Report - Use of aerial spray simulation models for pest eradication, management and contingency planning

jo@hullaballoo.co.nz (Super User) — Mon, 07 Oct 2019 14:31:40 +1300

Plant canopies are often the direct or indirect target during aerial spraying. Therefore, there are benefits from understanding and being able to model the factors influencing spray deposition in canopies. Potential benefits from havingmodels that simulate spray interception by canopies include the ability to define application methods and conditions necessary to maximize spray efficiency (i.e., achieve the biological objective with a minimum dose) and to minimize off–target environmental impacts. An experimental study was undertaken to measure spray interception by a discontinuous radiata pine canopy. Two droplet size treatments (volume median diameters of 596 versus 295 m) were applied using a Jet Ranger helicopter, with eight replications of each treatment. Spray deposition was measured on horizontally oriented plastic tubes, which were threaded onto strings located at different layers through a 3 m high canopy. Other measurements included leaf area distribution within the plot and meteorological conditions, with helicopter flight line location and release height determined from a global positioning system. Spray attenuation through the canopy was greater with the smaller droplet size, with only 34% of the spray reaching the lowest sampling level compared to 46% with the larger droplets. Predictions of spray attenuation by the optical canopy model in AGDISP did not closely match measured attenuation.

Project: 2001-07. Report - Assessment and Control of Dothistroma Needle-Blight

jo@hullaballoo.co.nz (Super User) — Mon, 07 Oct 2019 14:31:40 +1300

The object of this handbook is to provide a source of reference and an introduction to the routine forestry practice of treating exotic pines against Dothistroma needle-blight. The information provided has been gained from over 30 years of research and experience in operational control of Dothistroma needle-blight. This handbook updates three previous versions, published in 1979, 1982, and 1988, and it is hoped that readers will find it a useful reference guide for running a successful Dothistroma control programme.

Project: 2001-03. Report - Are plantation forests with increased biodiversity more resistant to pest outbreaks?

jo@hullaballoo.co.nz (Super User) — Mon, 07 Oct 2019 14:31:39 +1300

This study confirms that exotic plantation forests can provide habitat for a diverse understorey and insect fauna with a large proportion of indigenous species, including some rare or threatened species. Despite the homogeneous character of the land occupied by Eyrewell Forest and the almost identical stand structure and age distribution, there is considerable variation in the understorey among stands.

Project: 2000-04. Report - Biological control of blackberry

jo@hullaballoo.co.nz (Super User) — Mon, 07 Oct 2019 14:31:36 +1300

Of the brush weeds, blackberry (Rubus fruticosus agg.) is second in New Zealand only to gorse, in terms of the volume of herbicide sold for its control. The weed competes with plantation trees (of both major and minor forest species) and interferes with silvicultural activities. A successful biological control programme against blackberry would significantly decrease financial and environmental costs associated with this weed and its control.

Project: 1999-02. Report - Canopy Indicator Assessment: A Method for Monitoring Brushtail Possum (Trichosurus vulpecula) Damage to Pine Plantations

jo@hullaballoo.co.nz (Super User) — Mon, 07 Oct 2019 14:31:35 +1300

Brushtail possums (Trichosurus vulpecula) now occupy most areas within New Zealand that are suitable for plantation forestry. Possums browse the terminal shoots of pine seedlings, bite and strip the bark of young stems to get at the cambial tissue, remove needles and cones, and bend or break terminal shoots and lateral branches in the upper portion of the tree. Damage is most commonly reported from young stands. It rarely kills established trees, but can lead to reduced vigour, loss of apical dominance, and an increased incidence of fungal diseases. Where possums are suspected of damaging pine plantations forest managers need to be able to determine when control is required, which areas should have priority, whether control achieves its goals, and when further control measures will be necessary. Reliable inferences and predictions about possum damage can only be obtained from robust, quantitative data. In this manual we discuss the design of surveys to monitor possum damage in pine plantations, and describe a new method for assessing possum damage to pine trees. Canopy Indicator Assessment is a scoring method that uses ground–based assessment of individual trees to determine the nature and extent of possum damage within pine stands, and the degree to which this is reduced as a result of possum control operations. Options for analysing data are outlined.

Project: 1998-04 Cyclaneusma Needle-Cast Bulletin

jo@hullaballoo.co.nz (Super User) — Mon, 07 Oct 2019 14:31:34 +1300

Over the last 25 years the Forest Health group at FRI have undertaken a considerable amount of research on Cyclaneusma minus. Much of this work has been published in various papers, and recent work has been documented in unpublished project records. It is proposed to produce a bulletin on Cyclaneusma that covers all the work carried out so far on the biology of the fungus, its effect on growth, and methods of control. The part on biology of the fungus will cover symptoms, infection cycle, and taxonomy of the fungus. There is evidence that there are three strains of Cyclaneusma that affect Pinus radiata in New Zealand, the distribution of these strains will be shown. Research is currently being undertaken on the pathogenicity of each strain, results to date will be presented. Data on the effect of Cyclaneusma on tree growth have been collected from trials at Northland, Auckland, Kaingaroa, East Cape, Wellington, Nelson and Otago. Estimates of the growth loss of individual trees and of stand growth will be made. The incidence and severity of the disease in specific regions will be shown, based on results of aerial surveys and data collected by Forest Health Officers.

Results from trials set up to determine if the disease can be managed by selective thinning will be presented, along with results from trials on chemical control. The effect of pruning and thinning on disease incidence and severity will be discussed. All the research on Cyclaneusma carried out by FRI will be presented in a single published up-to-date document, which will make referring to the disease much easier than referencing separate papers that were published over a span of 10 years.

Project: 2010-03. Report - Quantifying the impact of Swiss needle cast of Douglas–fir

jo@hullaballoo.co.nz (Super User) — Mon, 07 Oct 2019 14:31:33 +1300

Phaeocryptopus gaeumannii, the cause of Swiss needle cast of Douglas fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii), has been present in New Zealand for more than 50 years. Although much is now known about this disease, important questions remain. irstly, symptoms are not spectacular, raising questions about its real importance. Stands still look green so does infection really reduce growth, and if so by how much? Secondly, direct control using aerial spraying is not economic, so what is the best way to manage it? In particular, are there regions in New Zealand where improved varieties of Douglas fir can be established without being too severely affected by the disease?

Predicting the severity of Swiss needle cast on Douglas-fir under current and future climate in New Zealand - Forest Ecology and Management 260 (2010) 2232–2240 - download (.pdf 668.08 kB)

Project: 2009-04. Report - Optimising Phytophthora Management in radiata pine seedlings

jo@hullaballoo.co.nz (Super User) — Mon, 07 Oct 2019 14:31:31 +1300

The most common causal agents of root rot in forest nurseries are species of the oomycete genus Phytophthora. Phytophthora cinnamomi and Phytophthora cactorum are widely distributed in New Zealand. Phytophthora spp. produce motile zoospores that require free water for dispersal. Although young seedlings of many plant species are susceptible to infection, phytophthora root rot is seldom a problem in plantations in New Zealand.

Project: 2009-03. The role of bark beetles as vectors in the colonisation of windthrown timber by fungi

jo@hullaballoo.co.nz (Super User) — Mon, 07 Oct 2019 14:31:30 +1300

Earlier work that was undertaken at the beginning of this study has already been published: Predicting sapstain and degrade in fallen trees following storm damage in a Pinus radiata forest. Forest Ecology and Management 260, 1456-1466 - download (.pdf - 383.51 kb)

Project: 2009-01. A guide to understanding nectria flute canker-related defect in mature trees

jo@hullaballoo.co.nz (Super User) — Mon, 07 Oct 2019 14:31:29 +1300

The primary objective of this field guide is to assist in the identificatoin and assessment of defect caused by nectria lfute canker in mature trees, with particular reference to pre-harvest invenotry of prunded stems. A secondary objective is to provide an assessmet method for quickly checking the value of batches of sawn timber

Project: 2008-FBRC-13010 - Needle diseases of radiata pine in New Zealand

jo@hullaballoo.co.nz (Super User) — Mon, 07 Oct 2019 14:31:28 +1300

This review is funded by the Forest Biosecurity Research Council and written for the New Zealand forest industry. It summarises results of research in New Zealand on needle diseases of plantation pines. Overseas work is described if it has application to New Zealand forestry. The aim is to provide a reference point from which to identify future research needs. These needs are listed and summarised, with the aim of assisting development of a research strategy for foliar pathogens of Pinus radiata. Deliberately, future research needs are not prioritised because it was thought that industry should advise researchers on what research activities should be undertaken, rather than the reverse.