Search for Articles:
Title / Keyword
Author / Affiliation / Email
Journal
Article Type
 
 
Advanced Search
 
Section
Special Issue
Volume
Issue
Number
Page
 
4.6
2.5
Journals
Forests
Special Issues
Pathogenic Fungi in Forest
share announcement

Pathogenic Fungi in Forest

A special issue of Forests (ISSN 1999-4907). This special issue belongs to the section "Forest Health".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 March 2026 | Viewed by 3696

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Keumchul Shin

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Division of Environmental Forest Science and Institute of Agriculture & Life Science, Gyeongsang National University, Jinju 52828, Republic of Korea
Interests: forest pathology; tree pathogens; fungal tree diseases; molecular detection of pathogens; disease forecasting; biological control; wood decay fungi; endophytic fungi; fungal diversity
Dr. Hyunkyu Sang

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Kumho Life Science Laboratory, Department of Integrative Food, Bioscience and Biotechnology, College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Chonnam National University, Gwangju 61166, Republic of Korea
Interests: plant pathology; fungi; disease resistance; plant-microbe interactions

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Fungi form parasitic, saprophytic, and symbiotic relationships with plants and play significant roles in forest ecosystems. Pathogenic fungi are the main causal agents of plant diseases in forests, regulating the populations of woody and herbaceous plants. This regulation can result in quantitative and qualitative biomass losses, leading to economic losses or changes in forest stands. Newly emerged plant diseases in forests tend to present more complex pathosystems, including diverse cryptic species of fungal pathogens, mainly ascomycetes, basidiomycetes, and oomycetes, which threaten forest health. Therefore, it is critical to understand interactions between pathogenic fungi and woody and herbaceous plants in forests to minimize the impacts of fungal diseases and protect forest ecosystems. This Special Issue aims to contribute to advances in biology, ecology, etiology, epidemiology, population genetics of pathogenic fungi, and management of fungal diseases. Experimental studies, first reports, and review papers are all welcome.

Potential topics of pathogenic fungi in the forest include but are not limited to

  • Pathogenesis;
  • Taxonomic and phylogenetic studies;
  • Morphological and molecular characteristics;
  • Detection and identification;
  • Plant–fungal pathogen interactions;
  • Wood decay and rot;
  • Air, soil, and vector-borne diseases;
  • Monitoring, assessment, forecasting, and diagnostic tools;
  • Integrated control strategies.

Dr. Keumchul Shin
Dr. Hyunkyu Sang
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Forests is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • fungal pathogens
  • plant diseases
  • forest pathology
  • pathogenicity
  • disease management

Benefits of Publishing in a Special Issue

  • Ease of navigation: Grouping papers by topic helps scholars navigate broad scope journals more efficiently.
  • Greater discoverability: Special Issues support the reach and impact of scientific research. Articles in Special Issues are more discoverable and cited more frequently.
  • Expansion of research network: Special Issues facilitate connections among authors, fostering scientific collaborations.
  • External promotion: Articles in Special Issues are often promoted through the journal's social media, increasing their visibility.
  • Reprint: MDPI Books provides the opportunity to republish successful Special Issues in book format, both online and in print.

Further information on MDPI's Special Issue policies can be found here.

Published Papers (6 papers)

Download All Papers
Order results
Result details
Show export options expand_more Show export options expand_less
Select all
Export citation of selected articles as:

Research

13 pages, 5309 KiB  
Article
Fungi Associated with Dying Buckthorn in North America
by Ryan D. M. Franke, Nickolas N. Rajtar and Robert A. Blanchette
Forests 2025, 16(7), 1148; https://doi.org/10.3390/f16071148 - 11 Jul 2025
Viewed by 364
Abstract
Common buckthorn (Rhamnus cathartica L.) is a small tree that forms dense stands, displacing native plant species and threatening natural forest habitats in its introduced range in North America. Removal via cutting is labor intensive and often ineffective due to vigorous resprouting. [...] Read more.
Common buckthorn (Rhamnus cathartica L.) is a small tree that forms dense stands, displacing native plant species and threatening natural forest habitats in its introduced range in North America. Removal via cutting is labor intensive and often ineffective due to vigorous resprouting. Although chemical control methods are effective, they can negatively affect sensitive ecosystems. A mycoherbicide that selectively kills buckthorn would provide an additional method for control. In the present study, fungi were collected from dying buckthorn species (Frangula alnus Mill., Rhamnus cathartica, Ventia alnifolia L’Hér) located at 19 sites across Minnesota and Wisconsin for their potential use as mycoherbicides for common buckthorn. A total of 412 fungi were isolated from samples of diseased tissue and identified via DNA extraction and sequencing. These fungi were identified as 120 unique taxa belonging to 81 genera. Of these fungi, 46 species belonging to 26 genera were considered to be canker or root-rot pathogens of woody plants, including species in Cytospora, Diaporthe, Diplodia, Dothiorella, Eutypella, Fusarium, Hymenochaete, Irpex, Phaeoacemonium, and others. A future study testing the pathogenicity of these putative pathogens of buckthorn is now needed to assess their utility as potential mycoherbicide agents for control of common buckthorn. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Pathogenic Fungi in Forest)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

12 pages, 1708 KiB  
Article
Preliminary Report of Three Entomopathogenic Fungi as Potential Biocontrol Agents Against the Oak Wilt Vector, Platypus koryoensis
by Jin Heung Lee, Nam Kyu Kim, Keumchul Shin, Jong Kyu Lee and Dong-Hyeon Lee
Forests 2025, 16(6), 1009; https://doi.org/10.3390/f16061009 - 16 Jun 2025
Viewed by 668
Abstract
Entomopathogenic fungi are a group of fungi that infect and kill insects to obtain nutrients, thereby contributing to the natural regulation of insect populations. In recent years, they have been increasingly utilized as biological control agents, particularly in response to the rising prevalence [...] Read more.
Entomopathogenic fungi are a group of fungi that infect and kill insects to obtain nutrients, thereby contributing to the natural regulation of insect populations. In recent years, they have been increasingly utilized as biological control agents, particularly in response to the rising prevalence of pesticide-resistant pests in agricultural systems. Representative examples include Beauveria bassiana and Metarhizium anisopliae, which are regarded as natural enemies of pests in agroecosystems. Since the first report of Korean oak wilt disease in 2004, the disease has continuously spread across the country and causes severe damage to deciduous oak species, especially Quercus mongolica. Although many efforts have been made to effectively control the disease, including chemical treatments, the control efficacy was shown to be low, and given the environmental side effects arising from the use of insecticides, there has been a demand for alternative control strategies. Integrated Pest Management in forests promotes ecological sustainability by reducing chemical pesticide use, conserving biodiversity, and enhancing long-term forest health. In this study, to mitigate issues with disease management strategies, assessments were made on three entomopathogenic fungi, B. bassiana, M. anisopliae, and Purpureocillium lilacinum, as potential biological control agents against oak wilt disease and its insect vector, Platypus koryoensis. In this regard, we investigated the insecticidal efficacy and LT50 of each entomopathogenic fungus, and the results showed that all three entomopathogenic fungal strains exhibited fast insecticidal effects against the insect vector, P. koryoensis, with M. anisopliae showing the fastest action, recording a lethal time to 50% mortality (LT50) of 58.7 h. The spores of M. anisopliae were found to be sensitive to high temperatures, while demonstrating a relatively high germination rate under UV exposure and strong initial germination ability at low temperatures. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Pathogenic Fungi in Forest)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

20 pages, 9884 KiB  
Article
A Contribution to the Knowledge of Polypores Occurring in City Parks: A Case Study of Five Parks in Wrocław (Lower Silesia, Poland)
by Rafał Ogórek, Magdalena Cal-Smok and Jakub Suchodolski
Forests 2025, 16(6), 908; https://doi.org/10.3390/f16060908 - 28 May 2025
Viewed by 460
Abstract
We surveyed five urban parks in Wrocław, Lower Silesia (Poland) to document the diversity of wood-inhabiting fungi and assess their potential impact on trees and public safety. Field observations were conducted in 2021, yielding 53 fungal occurrences representing nine species of eight genera. [...] Read more.
We surveyed five urban parks in Wrocław, Lower Silesia (Poland) to document the diversity of wood-inhabiting fungi and assess their potential impact on trees and public safety. Field observations were conducted in 2021, yielding 53 fungal occurrences representing nine species of eight genera. The most frequently recorded taxa were Fomes fomentarius (accounting for 43.4% of all fungal observations), Fomitiporia robusta (15.0%), and Laetiporus sulphureus (13.2%). The highest number of fungal findings (35.8%) occurred in Zachodni Park, which is also the largest of the surveyed parks, while Grabiszyński Park—the second largest—had the lowest share (9.4%). Fungi were found on trees of six genera and eight species, most commonly on Quercus robur (35.5% of colonized trees) and Betula pendula (26.7%). In eight cases, host trees could not be identified due to severe damage or removal. Most fungal fruiting bodies appeared on upper trunks or branches of aging, weakened, or decaying trees. As the surveyed parks are highly frequented recreational areas, regular monitoring of wood-inhabiting fungi is recommended to manage tree health and minimize safety risks for park visitors. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Pathogenic Fungi in Forest)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

12 pages, 4819 KiB  
Article
Identification of the Nut Rot Pathogen Affecting Castanopsis carlesii Based on Morphological and Phylogenetic Analyses
by Yicheng Li, Aining Li and Ning Jiang
Forests 2025, 16(4), 627; https://doi.org/10.3390/f16040627 - 3 Apr 2025
Viewed by 439
Abstract
In recent years, Castanopsis carlesii, a keystone species in southern China’s forest ecosystems with high ecological and economic importance, has faced growing challenges from severe nut rot diseases. Gnomoniopsis (Gnomoniaceae, Diaporthales, Sordariomycetes, Ascomycota) represents a significant fungal genus that causes leaf spots, [...] Read more.
In recent years, Castanopsis carlesii, a keystone species in southern China’s forest ecosystems with high ecological and economic importance, has faced growing challenges from severe nut rot diseases. Gnomoniopsis (Gnomoniaceae, Diaporthales, Sordariomycetes, Ascomycota) represents a significant fungal genus that causes leaf spots, branch cankers, and fruit rot diseases. In this study, rotten nuts of C. carlesii were collected from Fujian Province, and fungal isolates were obtained using the tissue isolation method. Morphological characterization and molecular phylogenetic analysis, based on the combined sequences of the internal transcribed spacer region of rDNA (ITS), the translation elongation factor 1-alpha (tef1) gene, and the partial beta-tubulin (tub2) gene were used to identify these isolates. As a result, new isolates from diseased nuts of C. carlesii formed a distinct clade with Gnomoniopsis, and morphologically differentiated from the other species; hence, G. flava sp. nov. is proposed herein. Furthermore, pathogenicity tests involving three isolates of G. flava were conducted on healthy nuts of C. carlesii, confirming its role as the causal agent of this new plant disease. This study not only advances our understanding of species diversity within Gnomoniopsis but also lays the groundwork for developing control strategies for C. carlesii nut rot disease. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Pathogenic Fungi in Forest)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

13 pages, 1975 KiB  
Article
Morphology and Molecular Phylogenetic Characterization of Novel Tar Spot Disease-Causing Fungi on Fabaceae Trees in Thailand
by Sukanya Haituk, Anuruddha Karunarathna, Dulanjalee Lakmali Harishchandra, Saruta Arayapichart, Chiharu Nakashima, Rampai Kodsueb, Sararat Monkhung and Ratchadawan Cheewangkoon
Forests 2025, 16(4), 556; https://doi.org/10.3390/f16040556 - 21 Mar 2025
Viewed by 408
Abstract
Tar spot diseases have a huge impact on various plants by reducing the photosynthesis surface and allowing secondary severe infections on the host. Phyllachoraceae species causing tar spots infect both monocot and dicot plants and are known as obligate parasites. In the current [...] Read more.
Tar spot diseases have a huge impact on various plants by reducing the photosynthesis surface and allowing secondary severe infections on the host. Phyllachoraceae species causing tar spots infect both monocot and dicot plants and are known as obligate parasites. In the current study, two different tar spot disease symptoms were observed on Pterocarpus macrocarpus and Dalbergia sp. in northern Thailand. The phylogeny of a combined matrix of LSU, SSU, and ITS and morphology revealed that both causal species of tar spot diseases belong to the genus Neophyllachora. Furthermore, these results showed that these are novel species of the genus Neophyllachora, N. pterocarpi-macrocarpae on P. macrocarpus and N. dalbergiae on Dalbergia sp. with high bootstrap supports. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Pathogenic Fungi in Forest)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

18 pages, 4188 KiB  
Article
Spring’s Signal: Can Bud Burst Timing Enhance Resistance to Ash Dieback in Europe?
by Paweł Przybylski, Vasyl Mohytych and Katarzyna Sikora
Forests 2025, 16(1), 141; https://doi.org/10.3390/f16010141 - 14 Jan 2025
Viewed by 908
Abstract
Ash dieback (ADB), driven by the invasive fungus Hymenoscyphus fraxineus, poses a significant environmental and financial risk throughout Europe. Fraxinus excelsior (European ash), an essential part of forest ecosystems, has seen death rates as high as 85% in impacted areas, threatening its [...] Read more.
Ash dieback (ADB), driven by the invasive fungus Hymenoscyphus fraxineus, poses a significant environmental and financial risk throughout Europe. Fraxinus excelsior (European ash), an essential part of forest ecosystems, has seen death rates as high as 85% in impacted areas, threatening its ecological roles and economic importance. This study examines the relationship between the phenological traits of ash clones, particularly the timing of spring bud burst, and their susceptibility to H. fraxineus infection. The study was conducted in a clonal seed orchard located in Northeastern Poland, encompassing 31 ash clones from different bioclimatic regions. Phenological analyses of bud burst were carried out from early April to late May during the years 2018–2020, and crown damage and defoliation levels were assessed multiple times throughout the growing season. The results confirm that clones with earlier bud burst exhibit significantly higher survival rates and reduced crown damage. Observations revealed that clones with earlier bud burst showed a 30% higher survival rate and up to 40% less crown damage compared to clones with later phenology. The timing of bud burst was strongly correlated with susceptibility to ash dieback (R2 = 0.37, p < 0.001). Statistical analyses, including ANOVA and mixed models, revealed significant differences in susceptibility to infection among clones from different bioclimatic regions. These findings underscore the importance of biological timing as a key factor in selecting genotypes resilient to ash dieback. The study highlights the potential of breeding approaches that focus on early bud burst traits to enhance the survival and vitality of ash populations. The results provide essential insights for developing adaptive forest management practices aimed at conserving ash resources and maintaining biodiversity in the face of climate change and the ongoing spread of the pathogen. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Pathogenic Fungi in Forest)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

Show export options expand_more Show export options expand_less
Select all
Export citation of selected articles as:
 
Displaying articles 1-6
Back to TopTop