STATUS OF THE EUROPEAN RACE OF SCLERODERRIS CANKER IN CANADA

The European (EU) race of Gremmeniella abietina (Lagerb.) Morelet, the causal agent of scleroderris canker of conifers, is a damaging pathog en in pine forests. In North America, this disease is found in the nor theastern United States and in eastern Canada. Results from surveys co nducted across Canada since 1979 are updating us on where this disease is found. In Newfoundland, only the EU race has been recorded and it is restricted to the Avalon Peninsula. Contrary to earlier reports in the Maritime provinces, only one pine plantation is infected by the EU race in New Brunswick. In Ontario, a total of 171 plantations are inf ected and they are clustered in the central portion of the southern pa rt of the province. The number of plantations infected by the EU race in Quebec is the highest in Canada with 749 plantations. In the four p rovinces, the most infected species is red pine (86% of the infected p lantations), followed by two exotic species, Scots pine (9.5%) and Aus trian pine (3.2%). White pine and jack pine show resistance to the dis ease.