Schweinitzii and Butt Rot
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Hagle, S.K; S. Tunnock; K.E. Gibson; and C.J. Gilligan. 1987. Field Guide to Diseases and Insect Pests of Idaho and Montana Forests. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service. State and Private Forestry, Northern Region. Missoula, Montana. Reprint 1990. Publication Number R1-89-54.
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Contents |
Hosts
Douglas-fir is by far the most common host. All conifers are susceptible, especially to butt rot.
Distribution
Range of hosts in Idaho and Montana.
Damage
Decays inner wood of roots, causes root galling, and decays butt heartwood. Windthrow frequently results from uprooting or butt breakage. Douglas-fir beetles and Armillaria often attack P. schweinitzii-infected Douglas-firs.
Identification
Trees infected with P. schweinitzii alone seldom have distinct root disease crown symptoms. Crowns of extensively infected Douglas-firs are sometimes thin and show poor shoot growth and some branch dieback. Conks are occasionally produced on the ground near infected trees or stumps. Less frequently, they develop directly on infected trees or stumps. They are annual, spongy conks with large pores on the undersurface. Caps are brown and velvety (fig. 73); undersides are green when fresh becoming brown with age. Caps are usually 5-10 inches in diameter with short stems. Large clusters often form. Small roots which are infected have dark red-brown, resinous centers (fig. 74). Decay is dry and yellow at first, becoming brown and cubically cracked in advanced stages (fig 75). Thin, resinous felts are often present in cracks of advanced decay.
Similar damages
The decay caused by Fomes pinicola is also brown and cubically cracked. However, F. pinicola decays dead trees and decays both sapwood and heartwood. Mycelium felts in F. pinicola decay are thick and not resinous, and F. pinicola conks are frequently found in association with the decay.
Comparison of Common Heartrots in Species Other Than Western Redcedar
| Fungus | Hosts | Shape | Upper Surface | Lower Surface | Context | Characteristic |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Echinodontium tinctorium | 1. GF, WH
2. SAF | Hoof-under branch | Brown; woody | Tan; teeth projecting downward | Orange | Decay yellow orange, stringy |
| Phellinus pini | 1. DF,LPP,WL
2.Other conifers | Hoof or flat
on bark | Dark brown | Cinnamon
to tan | Cinnamon | Stringy decay with pro-
nounced white pockets, punk knots on tree stem, red-brown dis- coloration in heartwood |
| Phaeolus schweinitzii | 1. DF
2. Other conifers | Thick shelf or on ground; non-woody | Brown; velvety | Green-fresh; Brown-old large pored | Brown | Brown cubical decay of heartwood; thin, resinous felts some-
times in shrinkage cracks of decay. Root and butt rot. |
| Fomitopsis officionalis | 1. WL,PP
2. Other conifers | Hoof or cylindric large;
chalky consistency | Yellow, white or cream | Yellow
or white; pored | Yellow
white | Brown cubical decay of heartwood only. Thick, white felts in shrinkage cracks of decay. |
| Fomitopsis pinicola | All dead conifers | Thick shelf
or hoof; corky consistency | Brown with red "belt" along margin | Cream;
small pored | Cream | Brown cubical decay of both sapwood and heartwood, dead trees and stumps. |
Table Comparison of Common Root Diseases
| Fungus | Hosts | Basal Resinosus | Decay | Other Distinguishing Characteristics |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Armillaria ostoyae | 1. DG, GF, saping pines 2. Other conifers | Yes | White or yellowish, stringy with black zone line and rhizomorphs | Thick fan-shaped felts of white mycelium in cambium |
| Phellinus wirii | 1. DF, GF
2. Other conifers | Yes | Laminated, separating at annual rings, pitted with pinhead-sized holes | Cream-colored mycelium on outer bark of roots and root collar under duff. Cinnamon-colored mycelium often in bark cracks with cream cycelium. |
| Phaeolus schweinitzii | 1. DF
2. Other conifers | No | Brown cubical rot of root and butt heartwood | Small roots with red-brown resinous heart; galled roots; large brown, velvety conks with green or brown pore layer on underside produced on ground or base of tree. |
| Fomes annosus | 1. DF, GF
2. SAF, WH, PP, WRC, WWP | No | White or yellowish, stringy to somewhat laminate. White pockets with black flects sometimes present | Conks shelving or flat on sides in hollow stumps. Conks have brown upper surface and white lower, pored surface with brown, non-pored margin. Cream-colored mounds (button conks) below duff on seedlings. |
| Ceratocystis wageneri | 1. PP,LPP, DF
2. ? | No | No decay produced | Black or brown stain in sapwood follows annual rings. |
References
- Anonymous. 1982. For. Insect & disease identification and management. USDA For. Serv.,Northern Region; Idaho Dept. of Lands, Insect and Disease Control; Montana Dept. of State Lands, Division of Forestry. 192 p.
- Bega, R. V. 1978. Diseases of Pacific Coast conifers. USDA For. Serv. Ag. Hndbk. No. 521, 206 p.
- Boyce, J. S. 1961. Forest Pathology. McGraw-Hill Book Co., New York, NY. 572 p.
- Hepting, G. E. 1971. Diseases of forest and shade trees of the United States. USDA For. Serv. Ag. Hndbk. No. 386, 658 p.
- Kimmey, J. W. 1964. Heartrots of western hemlock. USDA For. Serv., For. Pest Leaflet 90, 7 p.
