2014-05-24

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Climate Change and Implications for Seed Orchards:

Direct and Indirect Threats and Opportunities

Richard W. Reich, M.Sc., RPF

Questions • What are the most likely threats posed by pathogens in a changing

climate?

• What are the direct and indirect opportunities?

– Risk assessments, out-planting resistance screening trials

– Roguing, select collections, hazard zonation for select seed use

• What kinds of specific mechanisms of resistance do trees naturally possess?

– Major-gene (qualitative)

– Polygenic (multiple genes) – affects the strength or efficacy of the resistance response

• Continuous distribution of disease resistance phenotypes resulting from the number of genes involved

• Which mechanisms are associated with each pathosystem?

– focus on constituitive (always present) as opposed to induced.

• How long does it take to screen for resistance using field trials?

– Use of progeny and other long term monitoring trials to quantify resistance

Comandra blister rust (CBR)

Cronartium comandrae

Geocaulon lividum, bastard toadflax (AKA alternate host)

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Stalactiform blister rust (SBR)

Cronartium coleosporioides

Melampyrum lineare, cow wheat (AKA alternate host)

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Rhinanthus minor, yellow rattle

Castilleja miniata, Paintbrush

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Western gall rust (WGR)

Endocronartium harknessii

Woody swelling

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Long Term Monitoring Trials

• Collect pest trends, impacts, and climate change relationships

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Galls

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Bowron vs Willow: All Stem Galls

Willow-all stem galls

Bowron - all stem galls

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Stand Age

Cumulative Rate of WGR Infection for Stem Infected Trees on Long Term Trials

Willow F1 (est. '02)

Endako (est. '04)

Thompson (est. '04)

Holy Cross (est. '04)

Buth gall (est. '91)

Willow F0 (est. '87)

Bednesti (est. '88)

Bowron (est. '91)

EP671 (est. '68)

9 site mean

original 3 site calculator

Evaluating the Gall Rust Risk Predictor

However beautiful the strategy, you should occasionally look at the results, Winston Churchill

* Bednesti data provided by Lorne Bedford 7

• Different sites – different time periods

Climate Change and Rust Monitoring

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Cumulative Incidence of Stem Infection by WGR at Long Term Trials

EP671 (n=1536)

Willow F0 (n=4476)

Bednesti (n=1200)

Buth Creek (n=147)

Bowron (n=70)

Willow F1 (n=5435)

Thompson (n=7440)

Endako (n=7440)

Holy Cross (n=7440)

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2014-05-24

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Comandra Resistance Screening Trial

Endako site ‘08 Thompson site ‘08 Holy Cross site ‘08

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Effect of Climate? Weather?

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Incidence of Comandra Blister Rust Over Time Comandra Screening Trial, Est. 2004

Thompson

Endako

Holy Cross

Susceptibility to CBR

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BR

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Family

Cumulative Incidence of CBR, by Family, by Year, Thompson Site, 2013

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2012

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Comandra Resistance Screening

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Incidence of Comandra at Thompson (%)

Family Level, Mean Cumulative Incidence of Comandra Blister Rust, 9 Year Results

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Family

Western Gall Rust Resistance Central Plateau SPZ (300 families), Willow Canyon, 2005

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WGR Resistance Screening Western Gall Rust Susceptibility

• Most susceptible clone is >3670 times more susceptible than the most resistant clone – phenomenal potential for improving mean resistance

• How do you quantify the increase to Breeding Value (BV) achieved by eliminating all of the moderately to highly susceptible clones?

Western Gall Rust

Severity of infection

3 Most Resistant & 3 Least- Resistant Clones

Resistance & Proximity to Inoculum

•Proximity to highly infected trees does not appear to compromise resistance

•3 “most resistant” clones surrounded by 2 of the “most susceptible” clones

•Resistance appears to be durable

• this site has experienced numerous “waves” of infection in the past 20 years

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PGTIS, Pine Foliar Disease Path Infects Distinguishing

characteristics Diagnostics Crown

Severity

(DFL) Lophodermella

Current years foliage

Red one-year-old needles

•wide central red band becoming straw coloured •no black fruiting bodies

Highest severity on lower crown

(DFE) Elytroderma Current years foliage

Red one-year-old needles

•entire needle reddens •Long black fruiting bodies

Scattered red internodes

(DFS) Dothistroma All years foliage

Red foliage in lower crown (“fire scorch”)

•Narrow red bands •Small black fruiting bodies restricted to red bands

Highest severity on lower crown

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Pine Needle Cast

• Causal Organism: – Lophodermella concolor (teleomorph or sexual stage)

Dothistroma Needle Blight (aka Red Band Needle Blight)

• Causal Organism: – Dothistroma septospora (anamorph or asexual stage) – Mycosphaerella pini (teleomorph or sexual stage)

Elytroderma Needle Cast

• Causal Organism:

– Elytroderma deformans (Weir) Darker

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Elytroderma deformans

• Stem infections – Sunken, often

spiral shaped

– Dark, cracked & slightly resinous bark

Elytroderma deformans

normal wood

infected wood

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canker initiation

Severe Elytroderma defoliation and deformation Elytroderma Needle Cast

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0%

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>600m >700m >800m >900m >1000m >1100m >1200m >1300m

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ust

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Mean Plot Elevation

Elevation Mackenzie Forest District (102 stands)

SBR

WGR

CBR

Predictive Variable: Elevation

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Rust Incidence by BEC Subzone/Variant

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ESSFmv3 BWBSdk1 SBSmk1 SBSmk2 SBSwk2

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ust

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BEC Subzone/Variant

Rust Incidence by BEC Subzone/Variant, Mackenzie TSA, 102 Stand Rust Hazard Survey

SBR

WGR

CBR

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02 - MD/SD 03 - F 01 - F 04 - F/M 05 - M 06 - VM

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ust

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Site Series & Actual Soil Moisture Regime

SBSwk2 (Sub Boreal Spruce wet cool 2)

SBR

WGR

CBR

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Sites Series Moisture Gradient Silviculture Rust Map

•Overview map for central interior of BC

•Data provided by licensees and BC Timber Sales from silv surveys of plantations at Free Growing

•Unaudited data

•Very large database comprised of 10’s of 1000’s of plantation across province

•Colour themed to maximize appearance of regional trends and local hot spots

•70% of plantations have 0-5% rust (green colour) representing very low hazard

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Western Gall Rust

• Acknowledgements: too many people to thank individually! • Regional staff

– Engineering: Les Higgs – Geomatics: Stafford Shuman, Diane Roberge, Sean Barry – Stewardship: Dale Seip, Vanessa Foord, Bruce Rogers, Anna Monetta, Ljiljana Knezevic, Susan Hoyles, 3 technicians, 8 summer

students, 2 auxiliaries – Tenures

• District staff – Rust Working Groups, >50 staff from different sections and districts

• Branch staff – Tree Improvement: Mike Carlson, Nick Ukrainetz, Vicky Berger – PGTIS: Rita Wagner & many staff – Stewardship: Tim Ebata, Ralph Winter, Harry Kope – FAIB: Wendy Bergerud, peter Ott, Jim Goudie, Ken Polsson, – Wildfire Management Branch: Initial Attack Crews, Unit Crews,

• Consultants – Isabella Point Forestry, BioGeoDynamics, International Biometrics, Pathfinder Consultants, TDB Consultants, HRGISolutions

• Silviculture Surveyors • Licensees

– West Fraser, Canfor, BCTS, Conifex, Apollo, Lakeland, others

• VSOC, IFS Nursery • Universities & Colleges

– SFU, UBC, UNBC, CNC, UVIC

Thank you!

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Distinguishing characteristic?

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Name the canker that rust may be confused with?