Brown pocket rot of Sitka spruce

Fruiting bodies of <em>Neolentinus kauffmanii</em> — Fruiting bodies of *Neolentinus kauffmanii* Libby Fox

French disease name: Carie brune alvéolaire de l'épinette de Sitka
Pathogen name: Neolentinus kaufmannii (A. H. Smith) Redhead & Ginns
Class: Agaricales

Distribution

British Columbia

Damage, symptoms and biology

Losses of about 1-2% of gross merchantable volume have been attributed to Neolentinus kauffmanii in B.C. It frequently occurs in scattered pockets in the high quality butt log often necessitating the rejection of these logs for lumber production. The amount and pattern of decay visible at the end of a log seldom provides a reliable indication of the extent of internal defect.

Other information

Decay caused by N. kauffmanii cannot be detected in standing timber as the fruiting bodies form only on infected wood exposed to air. The fungus is known to survive in Sitka spruce logs that have been on the ground for more than 50 years.