Chondrostereum purpureum
Silver leaf is a fungal disease of trees caused by the fungus plant pathogen Chondrostereum purpureum. It attacks most species of the rose family Rosaceae, particularly the genus Prunus. The disease is progressive and often fatal. The common name is taken from the progressive silvering of leaves on affected branches. It is spread by airborne spores landing on freshly exposed sapwood. For this reason cherries and plums are pruned in summer, when spores are least likely to be present and when disease is visible. Silver Leaf can also happen on poming fruits like apples and pears. Plums are especially vulnerable.[1]
| Chondrostereum purpureum | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Fruiting bodies of C. purpureum in a garden near Paris, France | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | |
| Division: | |
| Class: | |
| Order: | |
| Family: | |
| Genus: | |
| Species: | C. purpureum |
| Binomial name | |
| Chondrostereum purpureum (Pers.) Pouzar (1959) | |
| Synonyms | |
|
Auricularia persistens | |
In the past the name Stereum purpureum Pers. was widely used for this fungus, but according to modern taxonomy it is only distantly related to Stereum, actually belonging to order Agaricales whereas Stereum is in order Russulales.[2]
Characteristics
It is a pathogen of various deciduous trees including species of Acer, Aesculus, Alnus, Betula, Crataegus, Fagus, Larix, Malus, Ostrya, Picea, Populus, Prunus, Salix, and Sorbus.[3]
After starting as just a crust on the wood, the fruiting structure develops undulating intergrowing brackets up to about 3 cm broad, which have a tough rubbery texture. The edges and fertile lower surfaces show a fairly vivid violet colour while the fungus is growing, and the upper surfaces have a grey aspect (sometimes with zonation) and are covered with whitish hairs. After a week or two the fructification dries out, becomes brittle, and turns a drab brown or beige.[1][4][5] Infected wood can be recognized because it is stained a darker tint.[6]
The spores are rounded cylinders approximately 5-8 µm x 3-4 µm in size. The hyphal structure is monomitic with clamp connections.
It is often found on old stumps and dead wood, but can also be a serious parasite of living trees. As well as plum trees it attacks many other broad-leafed species (other Prunus, apple, pear, willow, poplar, maple, hornbeam, plane, oak, elm, lilac, and many others).[6] Occasionally it also infects conifers (fir, spruce, Thuja, ...).[6] Geographically it is roughly speaking just as widespread as its hosts - it is common in woods, orchards and tree plantations in temperate climates.
Mycoherbicide
Chondrostereum purpureum is commercially available as a method of combatting forest weed trees (sic) such as aspens, beech, birches, maples, pin cherry and poplars and other species.[7] The fungus is applied directly to the weed trees in a nutrient paste which can be stored and handled conveniently.
The first regulatory approval was granted in 2001 to Myco-Forestis Corporation and targeted species "including birch, pin-cherry, poplar/aspen, red maple, sugar maple, and speckled alder in the Boreal and Mixed forest regions of Canada, east of the Rocky Mountains". It had not been reported as of 2001 to cause any diseases in coniferous tree species.[3]
According to a 2007 regulatory decision of the Canadian Pest Management Regulatory Agency, the use of this control method in paste form on Sitka spruce and red alder will only have a limited impact on non-target trees since the fungal spores are ubiquitous anyway and healthy trees are resistant to attack.[8]
References
- Entry "Silver-leaf Fungus" in Phillips, Roger (1981) "Mushrooms and other fungi of Great Britain & Europe" published by Pan Books Ltd., Cavaye Place, London SW10 9PG (ref. CN1794)
- See the entry in Index Fungorum Archived 2007-10-13 at the Wayback Machine for the current name and synonyms.
- Proposed Regulatory Decision Document PRDD2002-01 - Chondrostereum purpureum (HQ1) (PDF). Ottawa: Pest Management Regulatory Agency. 4 January 2002. Compatibility of the Open Government Licence - Canada with Wikimedia projects
- Marcel Bon: The Mushrooms and Toadstools of Britain and North-Western Europe Hodder & Stoughton ISBN 0-340-39935-X.
- Courtecuisse, R. & Duhem, B. (1994) "Guide des champignons de France et d'Europe" Delachaux et Niestlé ISBN 2-603-00953-2, also available in English.
- See Entry "Silver Leaf Disease" of Natural Resources Canada (NRCan).
- Canadian patent 2451038Archived 2012-07-15 at Archive.today, US Patent #5,587,158
- "PROPOSED REGISTRATION DECISION Chondrostereum purpureum strain PFC2139 Cp-PFC2139 Chontrol Paste" (PDF). Health Canada. Pest Management Regulatory Agency. 23 January 2007.
- Strouts, R.G., and T. G. Winter. 2000. Diagnosis of ill-health in trees. Norwich: Stationery Office Books. ISBN 0-11-753545-1
- For instance the entry in Index Fungorum shows the current name and synonyms. In the past the name Stereum purpureum was commonly used, but according to modern taxonomy this fungus is only very distantly related to Stereum, actually belonging to order Polyporales whereas Stereum is in order Russulales.