Soil fumigation to control spread of Fomes annosus: results of field trials

Abstract

A field trial was run to test the hypothesis that a band of roots killed by soil fumigation with methyl bromide would be unsuitable for invasion by F. annosus and would block the underground spread of the fungus from diseased trees to healthy trees. Infection centers in red pine plantations from New York to Rhode Island were delineated on the basis of symptoms and fruiting bodies, and were treated. Development of disease was observed in 11 centers for 4 years. Excavation and isolation from roots of trees and stumps adjacent to the fumigation line showed that the fungus had crossed the zone in only two centers, was prevented from crossing in many places in at least four centers, and was already outside the zone at the time of the treatment in six centers. The primary reason for failures appeared to be the inadequacy of the methods used to delineate the infection centers.

Citation

Houston, David R. 1975. Soil fumigation to control spread of Fomes annosus: results of field trials. Res. Pap. NE-327. Upper Darby, PA: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Northeastern Forest Experiment Station. 4p.