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  • Mercedes Fernández-Fernández
  • Pedro Naves
  • Johanna Witzell
  • Dmitry L. Musolin
  • Andrey V. Selikhovkin
  • Marius Paraschiv
  • Danut Chira
  • Pablo Martínez-álvarez
  • Jorge Martín-García
  • E. Jordán Muñoz-Adalia
  • Aliye Altunisik
  • Giuseppe E.Massimino Cocuzza
  • Silvia Di Silvestro
  • Cristina Zamora
  • Julio J. Diez

The fungal pathogen Fusarium circinatum (Nirenberg and O' Donnell) is the causal agent of pine pitch canker (PPC) disease, which seriously affects conifer species in forests and nurseries worldwide. In Europe, PPC is only established in the Iberian Peninsula; however, it is presumed that its range could expand through the continent in the near future. Infection caused by this fungus requires open wounds on the tree, including physical damage caused by insects. Therefore, a relationship probably occurs between PPC and a wide variety of insects. The aim of this review is to outline the taxonomic and ecological diversity of insect species with high potential association with F. circinatum in Europe and elsewhere. The insects were classified as vectors, carriers and wounding agents according to the association level with the PPC disease. In addition, we discuss the insect-mediated spreading of PPC disease in relation to the different phases of forest stand development, from seeds and seedlings in nurseries to mature stands. Lastly, to improve our predictive capacities and to design appropriate intervention measures and strategies for controlling disease dissemination by insects, variables such as geographic location, time of the year and host species should be considered. Our review provides a framework of the multiple factors that regulate the insect-host interactions and determine the success of the infection.

Original languageEnglish
Article number627
Number of pages23
JournalForests
Volume10
Issue number8
DOIs
StatePublished - Aug 2019

    Research areas

  • Carriers, Forests, Insect control, Nurseries, Pine pitch canker, Vectors, Wounding agents, MONOCHAMUS-GALLOPROVINCIALIS, wounding agents, LEPTOGLOSSUS-OCCIDENTALIS HETEROPTERA, TOMICUS-PINIPERDA, PISSODES-CASTANEUS, carriers, F-SP PINI, forests, MONTEREY PINE, INFESTING BARK BEETLES, FUSARIUM-CIRCINATUM, vectors, pine pitch canker, insect control, OPHIOSTOMATOID FUNGI, nurseries, ENGRAVER BEETLES SCOLYTIDAE

    Scopus subject areas

  • Forestry

ID: 48787900