Diagnosis of six Armillaria species
Armillaria (also known as the honey fungus) is a common pathogen/saprophytic fungi found in broad-leaved woodland and mature gardens. Six species (A. borealis, A. Cepistipes, A. gallica, A. mellea, A. ostoyae and A. tabescens) commonly occur in the UK but of these only two (A. mellea and A. ostoyae) are considered to be pathogens that can infect and kill healthy trees. Identification of the separate species using traditional techniques is very difficult and even the use of modern DNA based methodologies has not lead to the development of a rapid, cost effective assay. This leads to trees often being removed as a precautionary measure on the assumption that the two pathogen species that is present.
SASA in association with Forest Research have developed a PCR array assay which for the first time provides a rapid and reliably test which can separate all six species found in the UK.
SASA