Em. Davison et Fcs. Tay, DAMAGE TO SURFACE ROOTS OF EUCALYPTUS-MARGINATA TREES AT SITES INFESTED WITH PHYTOPHTHORA-CINNAMOMI, Australian Journal of Botany, 43(5), 1995, pp. 527-536
Large surface roots from naturally occurring Eucalyptus marginata Donn
ex Smith trees at two sites, part of each site being infested by Phyt
ophthora cinnamomi Rands, were excavated to determine whether the numb
er and/or size of pathogenic lesions could account for known differenc
es in growth rate. There were no differences in the number of insect g
alleries, rots, number of phloem lesions or total lesion length per me
tre root length within different areas of the same site infested or un
infested by P. cinnamomi. Three P. cinnamomi and nine Cryphonectria cu
bensis (Bruner) Hedges lesions were found on more than 300 m of root l
ength. It was concluded that these lesions are unlikely to result in s
ignificant differences in tree growth.