Arja Lilja, Timo Kurkela, Sakari Lilja, Risto Rikala.. (1997). Nursery practices and management of fungal diseases in forest nurseries in Finland. A review. Silva Fennica vol. 31 no. 1 article id 5611. https://doi.org/10.14214/sf.a8512

Keywords: Pinus sylvestris; Picea abies; forest nursery; Betula spp.; Finland; damping-off; grey mold; root dieback; scleroderris canker; pine twisting rust; seedlings; fungal diseases; Godronia multispora; Lophodermium needle cast; snow blights; birch rust; stem lesions of birch; leaf lesions of birch; Lophodermium pinastri; Botrytis cinerea; Melampsora pinitorqua; Melampsoridium betulinum

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The purpose of this article was to collate the literature on fungal diseases that occur on seedlings in forest nurseries. It describes the symptoms of the diseases, the infection pattern of each fungus and the possibilities of controlling the diseases. As background a short introduction is given on forests and nursery practices in Finland.

Lilja, E-mail: al@mm.unknown
Kurkela, E-mail: tk@mm.unknown
Lilja, E-mail: sl@mm.unknown
Rikala., E-mail: rr@mm.unknown

Category : Review article

article id 147, category Review article

Arja Lilja, Marja Poteri, Raija-Liisa Petäistö, Risto Rikala, Timo Kurkela, Risto Kasanen. (2010). Fungal diseases in forest nurseries in Finland. Silva Fennica vol. 44 no. 3 article id 147. https://doi.org/10.14214/sf.147

Keywords: damping-off; grey mold; root dieback; needle casts; snowblights; scleroderris canker; Sirococcus; pine twisting rust; stem lesions and top dying; leaf lesions; Venturia; powdery mildews

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Norway spruce (Picea abies), Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris) and silver birch (Betula pendula) are the major tree species grown in Finnish forest nurseries where 99% of the seedlings are grown in containers first in plastic-covered greenhouses and later outdoors. The main diseases on conifer seedlings are Scleroderris canker (Gremmeniella abietina), Sirococcus blight and cankers (Sirococcus conigenum), snow blights (Herpotrichia juniperi and Phacidium infestans) and needle casts (Lophodermium seditiosum and Meria laricis). Also grey mould (Botrytis cinerea) and birch rust (Melampsoridium betulinum) are among the diseases to be controlled with fungicides. During last years Scleroderris canker has been a problem on Norway spruce, which has been since 2000 the most common species produced in Finnish nurseries. Root die-back (uninucleate Rhizoctonia sp.) on container-grown spruce and pine was a problem in the 1990s. Today the disease has become less common in modern nurseries due to improvements in hygiene and cultivation practice. Since 1991 stem lesions and top dying caused by Phytophthora cactorum has been a problem on birch. The ongoing climate change has already had effect on rusts and powdery mildews as well as other fungi infecting leaves. All diseases, which gain high precipitation and warm and long autumns. For same reasons winter stored seedlings need sprayings against grey mold. Fungal infections are also possible during short-day (SD) treatment, that is necessary for summer and autumn plantings and a beneficial step prior freezing temperatures outside or in freezer storage. Growers are encouraged to use cultural and integrated pest management techniques such as better nursery hygiene, including removing plant debris in nursery growing areas and hot water washing of containers plus removal of diseased, spore-producing seedlings and trees around the nursery.

Lilja, Finnish Forest Research Institute, Vantaa, Finland E-mail: arja.lilja@metla.fi
Poteri, Finnish Forest Research Institute, Suonenjoki, Finland E-mail: mp@nn.fi
Petäistö, Finnish Forest Research Institute, Suonenjoki, Finland E-mail: rlp@nn.fi
Rikala, Finnish Forest Research Institute, Suonenjoki, Finland E-mail: rr@nn.fi
Kurkela, Finnish Forest Research Institute, Vantaa, Finland E-mail: tk@nn.fi
Kasanen, University of Helsinki, Department of Forest Sciences, Helsinki, Finland E-mail: rk@nn.fi

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