Is Macrophomina phaseolina an emerging threat in Turkish forest nurseries?

Aleyna Çelik; Funda Oskay

Article Details

Is Macrophomina phaseolina an emerging threat in Turkish forest nurseries?

Authors:

Aleyna Çelik | Funda Oskay

Publisher:

Cankiri Karatekin University

Main Topics:

Ağaç İyileştirmesi | Orman Biyoçeşitliliği | Orman Entomolojisi ve Orman Koruma | Orman Sağlığı ve Patoloji

Journal:

Anadolu Orman Araştırmaları Dergisi Vol.11 Issue 1, pp.234-242

Document Type:

Article

Publication Date:

6/2025

Document Language:

English

Document ID (Org No.):

2001338792

pISSN:

1309-856X

Keywords:

Abstract:

 Background and Aims Macrophomina phaseolina is a globally significant soil-borne pathogen known for its wide host range and persistence under adverse conditions. This study reports a notable outbreak of M. phaseolina in a forest nursery in Osmaniye, southeastern Türkiye, with implications not only for seedling health and nursery management but also for field plantations, as the pathogen can be carried from nursery stock to planting sites. Methods Healthy-looking, symptomatic and dead Pinus brutia and Pinus pinea seedlings were sampled from the nursery. Fungi were isolated from roots and stems of the seedlings. Isolates were identified morphologically and confirmed by ITS sequencing. Results M. phaseolina was isolated from 50.4 of the seedlings, with higher frequencies in P. pinea 65.0 compared to P. brutia 40.5. Isolation rates were highest in dead seedlings 61.8, followed by symptomatic ones 56.0. Notably, the fungus was isolated from 62.9 of healthy-looking P. pinea seedlings, indicating widespread latent infections and a risk of undetected pathogen presence in asymptomatic nursery stock. Conclusion The high isolation frequency and detection in asymptomatic seedlings signal M. phaseolina as an emerging threat to Turkish forest nurseries and raise concerns about nursery-to-field carryover and long-term impacts on plantation success. This aligns with recent global observations linking climate change to the rising prevalence of thermotolerant pathogens such as M. phaseolina. Considering its broad host range, persistence in soil and climate adaptability, M. phaseolina warrants increased attention in forest nurseries. To reduce potential losses in forest nurseries and mitigate nursery-to-field carryover risks, integrated disease monitoring and adaptive nursery practices are essential.

 Background and Aims Macrophomina phaseolina is a globally significant soil-borne pathogen known for its wide host range and persistence under adverse conditions. This study reports a notable outbreak of M. phaseolina in a forest nursery in Osmaniye, southeastern Türkiye, with implications not only for seedling health and nursery management but also for field plantations, as the pathogen can be carried from nursery stock to planting sites. Methods Healthy-looking, symptomatic and dead Pinus brutia and Pinus pinea seedlings were sampled from the nursery. Fungi were isolated from roots and stems of the seedlings. Isolates were identified morphologically and confirmed by ITS sequencing. Results M. phaseolina was isolated from 50.4 of the seedlings, with higher frequencies in P. pinea 65.0 compared to P. brutia 40.5. Isolation rates were highest in dead seedlings 61.8, followed by symptomatic ones 56.0. Notably, the fungus was isolated from 62.9 of healthy-looking P. pinea seedlings, indicating widespread latent infections and a risk of undetected pathogen presence in asymptomatic nursery stock. Conclusion The high isolation frequency and detection in asymptomatic seedlings signal M. phaseolina as an emerging threat to Turkish forest nurseries and raise concerns about nursery-to-field carryover and long-term impacts on plantation success. This aligns with recent global observations linking climate change to the rising prevalence of thermotolerant pathogens such as M. phaseolina. Considering its broad host range, persistence in soil and climate adaptability, M. phaseolina warrants increased attention in forest nurseries. To reduce potential losses in forest nurseries and mitigate nursery-to-field carryover risks, integrated disease monitoring and adaptive nursery practices are essential.

 Background and Aims Macrophomina phaseolina is a globally significant soil-borne pathogen known for its wide host range and persistence under adverse conditions. This study reports a notable outbreak of M. phaseolina in a forest nursery in Osmaniye, southeastern Türkiye, with implications not only for seedling health and nursery management but also for field plantations, as the pathogen can be carried from nursery stock to planting sites. Methods Healthy-looking, symptomatic and dead Pinus brutia and Pinus pinea seedlings were sampled from the nursery. Fungi were isolated from roots and stems of the seedlings. Isolates were identified morphologically and confirmed by ITS sequencing. Results M. phaseolina was isolated from 50.4 of the seedlings, with higher frequencies in P. pinea 65.0 compared to P. brutia 40.5. Isolation rates were highest in dead seedlings 61.8, followed by symptomatic ones 56.0. Notably, the fungus was isolated from 62.9 of healthy-looking P. pinea seedlings, indicating widespread latent infections and a risk of undetected pathogen presence in asymptomatic nursery stock. Conclusion The high isolation frequency and detection in asymptomatic seedlings signal M. phaseolina as an emerging threat to Turkish forest nurseries and raise concerns about nursery-to-field carryover and long-term impacts on plantation success. This aligns with recent global observations linking climate change to the rising prevalence of thermotolerant pathogens such as M. phaseolina. Considering its broad host range, persistence in soil and climate adaptability, M. phaseolina warrants increased attention in forest nurseries. To reduce potential losses in forest nurseries and mitigate nursery-to-field carryover risks, integrated disease monitoring and adaptive nursery practices are essential.

 Giriş ve Amaçlar Macrophomina phaseolina, geniş konukçu yelpazesi ve olumsuz çevre koşullarına karşı dayanıklılığı ile bilinen, küresel ölçekte önemli bir toprak kökenli patojendir. Bu çalışma, Türkiyenin güneydoğusunda yer alan Osmaniye orman fidanlığında M. phaseolinanın neden olduğu bir salgını rapor etmekte ve bu patojenin yalnızca fidan sağlığı ve fidanlık yönetimi açısından değil, aynı zamanda fidanlıklardan plantasyon sahalarına taşınabilme riski nedeniyle sahadaki ağaçlandırmalar açısından da önemli sonuçlar doğurabileceğini vurgulamaktadır. Yöntemler Sağlıklı görünümlü, simptomatik ve ölü Pinus brutia ve Pinus pinea fidanları örneklenmiş ve fidanların kök ve gövde dokularından fungal izolasyonlar yapılmıştır. Elde edilen izolatlar morfolojik olarak tanımlanmış ve ITS dizi analizleri ile teşhis doğrulanmıştır. Bulgular M. phaseolina fidanların 50,4ünden izole edilmiştir; bu oran P. pineada 65,0 ile P. brutiaya kıyasla 40,5 daha yüksektir. İzolasyon sıklığı ölü fidanlarda 61,8, simptomatik fidanlarda 56,0dır. Fungusun, asimptomatik P. pinea fidanlarından izolasyon sıklığı 62,9 olup, bu durum latent enfeksiyonların yaygın olduğunu ve asimptomatik fidanlarda patojenin fark edilmeden taşınma riskinin yüksek olduğunu göstermektedir. Sonuç M. phaseolinanın yüksek izolasyon sıklığı ve asimptomatik fidanlardaki varlığı, bu patojenin Türkiye orman fidanlıklarında yükselen bir tehdit olabileceğine işaret etmekte ve fidanlıktan sahaya taşınma riski ve plantasyon başarısı üzerinde olası uzun vadeli etkileri konusunda ciddi kaygılar doğurmaktadır. Bu bulgular, M. phaseolina gibi termotolerant patojenlerin iklim değişikliğiyle birlikte artan yaygınlığına dair küresel gözlemlerle örtüşmektedir. Geniş konukçu yelpazesi, toprakta kalıcılığı ve iklim uyumu göz önüne alındığında, M. phaseolina orman fidanlıklarında daha fazla dikkat edilmesi gereken bir patojen olarak ön plana çıkmaktadır. Olası kayıpları azaltmak ve sahaya taşınma riskini en aza indirmek için entegre hastalık izleme sistemleri ve iklime uyarlanmış fidanlık uygulamaları büyük önem taşımaktadır.

Article Details

Is Macrophomina phaseolina an emerging threat in Turkish forest nurseries?

Authors:

Aleyna Çelik | Funda Oskay

Publisher:

Cankiri Karatekin University

Main Topics:

Ağaç İyileştirmesi | Orman Biyoçeşitliliği | Orman Entomolojisi ve Orman Koruma | Orman Sağlığı ve Patoloji

Journal:

Anadolu Orman Araştırmaları Dergisi Vol.11 Issue 1, pp.234-242

Document Type:

Article

Publication Date:

6/2025

Document Language:

English

Document ID (Org No.):

2001338792

pISSN:

1309-856X

Charcoal root rot

climate change

emerging forest pathogens

soilborne pathogens

forest nursery diseasesKömür çürüklüğü

iklim değişikliği

yeni ortaya çıkan orman patojenleri

toprak kökenli patojenler

orman fidanlığı hastalıkları

Issues

Article Details

Authors: Aleyna Çelik | Funda Oskay

Publisher: Cankiri Karatekin University

Main Topics: Ağaç İyileştirmesi | Orman Biyoçeşitliliği | Orman Entomolojisi ve Orman Koruma | Orman Sağlığı ve Patoloji

Journal: Anadolu Orman Araştırmaları Dergisi Vol.11 Issue 1, pp.234-242

Document Type: Article

Publication Date: 6/2025

Document Language: English

Document ID (Org No.): 2001338792

pISSN: 1309-856X

Issues

Authors:

Aleyna Çelik | Funda Oskay

Publisher:

Cankiri Karatekin University

Main Topics:

Ağaç İyileştirmesi | Orman Biyoçeşitliliği | Orman Entomolojisi ve Orman Koruma | Orman Sağlığı ve Patoloji

Journal:

Anadolu Orman Araştırmaları Dergisi Vol.11 Issue 1, pp.234-242

Document Type:

Article

Publication Date:

6/2025

Document Language:

English

Document ID (Org No.):

2001338792

pISSN:

1309-856X