Ophiostomatoid fungi associated with Ips sexdentatus on Pinus sylvestris in Poland

The six-toothed bark beetle (Ips sexdentatus) is known to be associated with ophiostomatoid fungi. However, very little is known about these fungi in Poland. The aim of this study was: 1) to identify fungi of Ophiostoma s. lato carried by this bark beetle and 2) to test the pathogenicity of several commonly occurring fungi. Isolations were carried out from the beetles and their galleries at three sites in Poland. Samples yielded a total 3162 cultures, which included 10 species of Ophiostoma s. lato. The most frequently encountered fungal associates of I. sexdentatus were L. cf. truncatum, O. brunneo-ciliatum and O. ips. Ophiostoma cf. rectangulosporium, O. cf. abietinum, O. quercus and O. floccosum appeared to be also specifically associated with I. sexdentatus. Leptographium cf. truncatum and O. minus were most virulent and can be consideredas serious pine pathogens.