Ustulina in bed with Armilaria, who's the daddy !

[David Humphries]

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I have investigated several cases where, on first examination, armillaria seems to be the main agent. With further investigation, it has become clear that the armillaria was a secondary coloniser. For example where the fatal agent has been ustulina.

 

Cheers Gmann

 

 

Really interesting input Geoff,

 

intrigued by the above statement; not suggesting you are incorect in anyway whatsoever, as I am obviously still playing the long game on this myco stuff, and am without the benefit of your site experience on these ones, but eventually cutting to the chase......'pauses for breath and a gathering of thought'.....was it not feasable that the Ustulina/Kretzchmaria was acting saprophytically (which I have seen) after colonisation by an Armillaria sp?

 

What for you, determined the fact that Ust/Kretz was the fatal agent in these cases?

 

Are you at liberty to discuss?

 

Cheers

 

David

 

 

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[gmanntpo]

Indeed I am happy to discuss my esteemed friend!!!

 

A little background to set the scene....

 

The 2 cases I was in on were when I worked as a tree inspector in Wokingham, in 2003 -5. My first job in L.G and I was lucky to work with 2 highly knowledgeable TI's who took me under their wing...

 

The first case I was only in on in the tail end of the investigation, as it happened before I started working there:

 

In a storm a large horse chestnut fell across the highway onto a taxi driver, who was badly injured. It had failed at the root plate and was a total windthrow.

 

There were a number of mature trees on a large h/w verge that had been inspected recently, including the H/C that failed. There were no crown symptoms visable and on initial inspection h/f rhizomorphs were found under the bark and on the larger support roots close to the stem... Easy diagnosis!!

 

As you can imagine however, this was a big case and WDC were under the cosh to find out why it happened and nothing had been picked up. The compo payout to the unfortunate taxi driver could (and did!) run into 100's of thousands, so the LA insurance company (Zurich) were in a big benny about it...

 

Consequently, an arb consultant was bought in (I can't remember who it was, but it was one of the 'top men'!!! He investigated the site and excavated the roots. The conclusion was that it was ustulina (I still use the old name cos I can't spell the new one!!) The roots were clearly decayed by ustulina (you know the decay pattern) with secondary colonisation of the stressed tree by H/f

 

By the time the report had come through I was on the scene and was able to read it and go through his conclusions...

 

The TI who inspected the tree kept good records (he was a top guy) and was found not to be not a fault as, interestingly, no crown or other symptoms were visible when inspected...

 

About a year or so later I was called out to inspect a large oak that had fallen across the h/w and had smashed someones fence, thankfully no one injured. The root plate was clearly visible and all the roots had been obviously decayed by ustulina with no signs of h/f, except for areas where the ustulina had not yet reached...

 

Accordingly I reached the same conclusion.. This leads me to my latest fascination of multi host trees with different fungi, that are battling for the same food resource and the chemical warfare between them..

 

I did a little study on an fallen ash stem colonsied by coriolus and daldinia... coriolus won the battle for the supplies!! Thats another story though...

 

I totally agree that ustulina can operate as a saphrophyte, way woundn't any living thing eat something already dead, instead of fighting a battle with a live organism or when it has killed its prey...

 

Alot of my latest observations are purely my own ideas, but am happy to share and see if people agree..

 

Any feed back welcome

 

Cheers Gmann

[gmanntpo]

oh and another one that has just sprung to mind has an abiotic cause.. When I was working as an arborist

 

Large H/c (again) Dying. H/F had been found as and diagnosed as the cause of the tree decline...

 

Nevertheless it seemed obvious to me that the compaction by piling all sorts of heavy blocks etc in the rooting area had stressed the tree and then and only then had h/f been able to colonise the tree and send it into strain...

[David Humphries]

Let the games begin....................

 

 

 

 

They sound like fascinating cases to be involved in.

 

Your 2003 case didn't make the DARM (decision analysis & risk managements) list of 50 tree related fatal & serious injuries of the last 10 years.

 

Sounds like it's maybe been missed.

 

 

 

 

Got to keep them there trees rhizospheres healthy, only real way to combat the big A.

 

 

 

 

So how can it be established that Ust was in residence before Armilaria ?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Edited October 22, 2009 by Monkey-D

[gmanntpo]

Nice one!!

 

My good friend and collegue John Hancock is the senior arborist works for the same L.A as me - he is the best there is! and has recently submitted some pics of a multi host oak to the forum

 

I consider, when John, fells the beast, that some detailed investigation is carried out!

 

Anyone fancy coming down to Worcester to check it out??? Can provide a few beers!!

[ScottF]

For beer, most of us would come and look at basically anything.

[David Humphries]

Nice one!!

 

My good friend and collegue John Hancock is the senior arborist works for the same L.A as me - he is the best there is! and has recently submitted some pics of a multi host oak to the forum

 

I consider, when John, fells the beast, that some detailed investigation is carried out!

 

Anyone fancy coming down to Worcester to check it out??? Can provide a few beers!!

 

 

 

Let me know when

 

 

 

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