Experiences with Scleroderris Canker on Pinus cembra L. In Afforestations of High Altitude

Abstract

The government, of Austria started an afforestation project of subalpine sites about 30 years ago as part of an avalanche control program. About 15 years later, the first epidemics of Scleroderris canker were observed. Hundreds of hectars have been killed by disease. Epidemics built up very slowly at first but the process has accelerated in the past 8-10 years. Correlations have been observed between severity of disease attack and altitude of provenance as well as to altitude of plantation site. No correlations were foynd with snow-cover or forest type. Differences in the formation of perennial cankers, morphology of fungus and frequences of occurrence of the ascofructification were observed as compared with the Scleroderris disease in lower altitudes and on other host species.