Tipping the balance: Promoting beneficial fungi to keep a forest pathogen in check

Paul Meznarich; Ned B. Klopfenstein; John W. Hanna; Mee-Sook Kim

Treesearch

Tipping the balance: Promoting beneficial fungi to keep a forest pathogen in check

Informally Refereed

Authors:

Paul Meznarich, Ned B. Klopfenstein, John W. Hanna, Mee-Sook Kim

Year:

2026

Type:

Science Bulletins and Newsletters

Station:

Rocky Mountain Research Station

Source:

Science You Can Use (in 5 Minutes). Fort Collins, CO: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station.

Download (PDF 1.01 MB)

Download (PDF 1.01 MB): https://research.fs.usda.gov/download/treesearch/80509.pdf

Abstract

Armillaria solidipes, a naturally occurring fungus, is responsible for one of the most widespread root diseases in western North American forests. Armillaria root disease affects a broad range of tree species, and by the time visible symptoms appear, significant damage has often already occurred.

Keywords

beneficial fungi, forest pathogen, Armillaria solidipes, root diseases, DNA sequencing, metagenomics, microbial communities

Citation

Meznarich, Paul; Klopfenstein, Ned; Hanna, John; Kim, Mee-Sook. 2026. Tipping the balance: Promoting beneficial fungi to keep a forest pathogen in check. Science You Can Use (in 5 Minutes), June 2026. Fort Collins, CO: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station. 2 p.