Melanin and the ecology of southern pine beetle associated fungi

I report here a series of initial investigations into effects of melanins on the interactions of the three primary species of fungi associated with the southern pine beetle (SPB), and into possible means for mitigating the damaging activities of the melanistic fungus, Ophiostoma minus. Growth of the SPB mutualistic fungus Entomocorticium sp. A on high melanin medium was less than half of the growth on control medium. Growth of 0. ranaculosum was not significantly affected by the addition of melanin to malt extract agar. Four species of biological control (of bluestain) fungi showed the ability to decolorize melanistic 0. minus cultures to various extents.