INOCULATION OF EUCALYPTUS-DIVERSICOLOR THINNING STUMPS WITH WOOD DECAY FUNGI FOR CONTROL OF ARMILLARIA-LUTEOBUBALINA

Eucalyptus diversicolor thinning stumps were simultaneously inoculated with the pathogen Armillaria luteobubalina and one of Coriolus versicolor, Stereum hirsutum and Xylaria hypoxylon to determine if these saprotrophic wood decay fungi could prevent or limit colonization of stumps by A. luteobubalina. The extent of fungal colonization 2 yr after inoculation was assessed at three positions in the stumps (10 cm above ground level, at ground level and 15 cm below ground level). The three fungi equally significantly reduced colonization of stumps by A. luteobubalina, at each of the positions. C. versicolor decayed the upper portions of stumps most and X. hypoxylon least. Fruit-body production by the test fungi was significantly correlated to the relative wood density of the above ground portions of stumps. Some stumps were also colonized below ground by a naturally occurring cord-forming Hypholoma sp., resulting in complete or partial exclusion of A. luteobubalina and the test fungi from lower portions of those stumps. This fungus may prove more useful than the test fungi for control of A. luteobubalina. © 1990, British Mycological Society. All rights reserved.