Dothistroma needle blight
- French disease name: Brûlure en bandes rouges
- Pathogen name: Mycosphaerella pini Rost. in Munk
- Kingdom: Fungi
- Phylum: Ascomycota
- Class: Dothideomycetes
- Order: Mycosphaerellales
- Family: Mycosphaerellaceae
Distribution
- Canada
Damage, symptoms and biology
Where environmental conditions favour infection, this disease can spread rapidly and cause significant damage. Trees can be defoliated within weeks, and mortality is common with repeated attacks.
Other information
This disease is also commonly known as red band needle blight. The life-cycle is completed in 1 year on the coast but requires 2 years in most other parts of the continent. The fungus causing the disease is most commonly observed in its conidial state (Dothistroma septospora).
Canadian Forest Service Publications
Information on host(s)
Main host(s)
- Austrian pine
- Bishop's pine
- Jeffrey pine
- Maritime pine
- Monterey pine
- Ponderosa pine
- Red pine
- Scots pine
- Shore pine
- Shortleaf pine
- Western white pine
Photos
Red banding symptoms on infected needles
Bob Erickson
Mycosphaerella-infected needles with discoloured tips and green needle bases
John Hopkins
Lodgepole pine plantation affected by Mycosphaerella pini in east-central B.C
Peter Koot
Lower crown discoloration typical of Mycosphaerella-infected western white pine
Rod Garbutt
Austrian pine infected by Mycosphaerella pini, the causal agent of red band needle blight.
One type of fruiting body of Mycosphaerella pini, the cause of red band needle blight.