Influence of site and stand factors on Hymenoscyphus fraxineus‐induced basal lesions. (11th May 2016)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Marçais, B.; Husson, C.; Godart, L.; Caël, O.
• Is Part Of: Plant pathology. Volume 65:Number 9(2016)
• Page Start: 1452
• Page End: 1461
• Publication Date: 2016-05-11
• Subjects: apothecia -- Armillaria -- canker -- chalara ash dieback -- spatial epidemiology; Agricultural pests -- Periodicals; Plant diseases -- Periodicals; 632
• DOI: 10.1111/ppa.12542
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0032-0862

Abstract

Abstract : Hymenoscyphus fraxineus is an invasive fungus in Europe and causes a severe decline affecting ash, which began in the late 1990s. One of the symptoms associated with the disease is lesions in the outer bark of the collar area. However, the aetiology of these basal lesions, and in particular the relative roles of H. fraxineus and Armillaria species, is still controversial; moreover, little is known about the influence of environmental factors on the disease epidemiology. This study therefore surveyed 42 plots located in northeastern France, in an area affected by ash decline since 2008, in order to determine which environmental factors condition the severity of lesions associated with H. fraxineus on ash collar. The spatial pattern that is a consequence of the invasive spread of the disease was taken into account in the analysis, using a spatial hierarchical Bayesian model fitted by integrated nested laplace approximation (INLA). Results show that while basal lesions are tightly associated with H. fraxineus, their severity is influenced by the Armillaria species present in the plot. Sites with vegetation indicating moist conditions, or more humid topographical positions, were associated with more developed basal lesions.