Genetic Control of Pitch Canker Response in Southern Pine and Southern Pine Hybrids

Fusarium circinatum causes pine pitch canker (PPC) disease and associated symptoms such as resinous lesions, mechanical weakness, crown dieback that may lead to mortality in Pinus Pseudotsuga spp. There are no ameliorative techniques available for the disease, genetic resistance among populations support commercial plantation deployment has not been well characterized. In this study, we characterize control of PPC tolerance (and/or resistance) predict families existing breeding populations: open-pollinated (OP) half-sib control-pollinated full-sib (FS) slash (Pinus elliottii var. Engelm.), OP loblolly taeda L.), advanced-generation hybrid × P. caribaea Engelm. bahamensis, caribaea, hondurensis) using F. isolates obtained from three locations Georgia FL, USA. We describe a new experimental design improves accuracy value predictions, provides more precise parameter estimates, facilitates comparisons within taxa isolates. found strong evidence ratio stem damage by circinatum, especially hybrids. Loblolly hybrids exhibited less than pine. observed spectrum virulence isolate sources, which were equally virulent different taxa.