Survey of potential sapstain fungi on pinus radiata in New Zealand

A nationwide survey of New Zealand sapstain fungi on Pinus radiata was undertaken between 1996 and 1998 with collections of 1958 samples of material from 869 sites in the North and South Islands. Material was collected from mills, ports, forest plantations of native, exotic, or P. radiata, nurseries, farms, and urban areas. Material collected included branches, twigs, needles or leaves, cones, logs, wood chips, timber, and veneer. From these collections, 2154 potential sapstain fungi, representing 14 known species plus a number of unidentified species, were isolated. The predominant sapstain fungi isolated were Sphaeropsis sapinea, Ophiostoma ips, O. floccosum, O. piliferum, Leptographium procerum, and O. querci. S. sapinea was isolated from all material sampled including collections from the forest floor (including branches, twigs, needles, leaves, cones, and logs) as well as from logs and timber. In contrast Ophiostoma species were mainly found on logs, timber, and wood chips.