Basidiomycetes Associated with Decay of Living Oak Trees

Abstract

Thirty-one identified species of wood-rotting hymenomycetes were associated with decay and cull in upland oak stands in Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Missouri, and Ohio. Seven of these species produced brown rots that accounted for a volume loss of approximately 381 ft³ in the trees sampled. The remaining species produced white rots that were associated with a volume loss of 557 ft³. Stereum frustulatum, Inonotus andersonii, Polyporus compactus, S. gausapatum, and Phlebia chrysocrea were the most frequently encountered species, accounting for 70 percent of the white rot infections; 79 percent of the brown rot infections were caused by Laetiporus sulphureus, Poria oleracea, and P. cocos. Together, these brown and white rot fungi (excluding P. oleracea and Phlebia chrysocrea) were associated with 61 percent of the volume of decay. Laetiporus sulphureus caused more butt rot-and more decay-than any other fungus. Inonofus andersonii caused more trunk rot than any other fungus.

Citation

Berry, Frederick H.; Lombard, Frances F. 1978. Basidiomycetes Associated with Decay of Living Oak Trees. Res. Pap. NE-413. Broomall, PA: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Northeastern Forest Experiment Station. 8p.