Description:
Containerized western larch, Douglas-fir, grand fir, subalpine fir, and
ponderosa pine seedlings which displayed disease symptoms were sampled for
presence of Fusarium spp. Seedlings from 33 seedlots within the Northern
Region were sampled. Major types of diseases included post-emergence
damping-off, root disease (late damping-off), and cotyledon blight. Fusarium
oxysporum was most frequently isolated from seedlings; F. avenaceum was also
commonly isolated, particularly from grand fir and subalpine fir seedlings.
Both fungal species often produced orange sporodochia on diseased seedlings.
Poor production from several high elevation Douglas-fir seedlots was probably
due to losses from seed-borne Fusaria.