Metla Project 3298

Molecular biology of forest pathogens and pests

[  Suomeksi  |  Objectives  |  Results  |  Project leader  |  Researchers  |  Publications  |  Metla Research  ]

Duration: 2000-2006   Keywords: Ips typographus, leaf spots, molecular markers, root rot, scleroderris canker
Research project group: Distinct projects 1 - Structure and function of forest ecosystems

Objectives

This project is composed of three parts. During the first part easy-to-use tools will be developed for the identification of Heterobasidion annosum and uninuclear Rhizoctonia to solve problems in practical forestry and also to be used as tools in future research. In the second part tools developed in project 3139 will be applied to produce scientific knowledge for the better understanding of population biology and epidemiology of forest pathogens. The primary interest will be in basic research and technical develompent, but it can be expected that the results will also have importance in practical forestry. The research topics will be the importance of birch leaf spot fungus in frost damage, historical development of Gremmeniella abietina diversity, and the double stranded RNA and gene expression of Gremmeniella abietina. In the third part the suitability of the molecular approaches developed for fungi will be tested on insects. In the area of the distribution of Ips typographus the degree of genetic differentiation and the diversity of fungi associated with it will be studied. The obtained information will be applicable for the import of wood from Russia. The expertise and tools developed in this project will be applied on several other projects in Metla.

Results

In this project a molecular recognition system was developed to identify and distinguish Heterobasidion annosum s.str. and Heterobasidion parviporum directly from infected wood material. In addition, a PCR-based tool was developed to detect uninucleate Rhizoctonia sp. from infected roots. The work on the population structure of Cronartium flaccidum and Peridermium pini was also finished during the project. The methodology developed in this project has also been applied in several other projects.

Seminars on Forest Pathology:
Seminar on Forest Pathology, the 20th November, 2006, Finnish Forest Research Institute, Vantaa Research Unit
Seminar on Forest Pathology, the 3rd April, 2006, Finnish Forest Research Institute, Vantaa Research Unit
Seminar on Forest Pathology, the 21th November, 2005, Finnish Forest Research Institute, Vantaa Research Unit
Seminar on Forest Pathology, the 4th April, 2005, Finnish Forest Research Institute, Vantaa Research Centre

Seminar web pages starting from year 2007 can be found from the pages of the project 3437.

Project leader: Hantula, Jarkko
The Finnish Forest Research Institute, Vantaa Unit, PL 18, FI-01301 VANTAA, FINLAND
Phone: +358 29 532 5419
E-mail: jarkko.hantula@metla.fi

Other researchers: Hallaksela, Anna Maija, VA (2006), Kasanen, Risto (2004), Korhonen, Kari, VA (2004), Lilja, Arja, VA (2002-03,2006), Lipponen, Katriina, VA (2004), Müller, Michael, VA (2002-06), Tuomivirta, Tero, VA (2003-06), Vartiamäki, Henna, VA (2002-07)


Top of page

Updated 12.06.2012
Comments