Influence of the mycangial fungi of the western pine beetle on water conduction through ponderosa pine seedlings

Publisher Website
Google Scholar
Abstract
The mycangial fungi Ceratocystis nigracarpa Davidson and a basidiomycete associated with western pine beetle reduce water conduction through seedling ponderosa pine. Only after the trees had been severely water stressed was the water tension in control treated trees not significantly different from that of a fungus treatment. There were no differences in the lengths of the lesions produced in a hypersensitive response to inoculated fungi or in the controls. This suggests that the reduction in water movement is a result of some factor other than destruction of conductive tissue.