The most destructive root red pathogens of Norway spruce (Picea abies) in the European forests are Heterobasidion annosum sensu lato. The economic loss to forest industry due to root red is several hundred million euros per year in Europe. Changes in climatic conditions and intense logging will continue to promote H. annosum s.l. in conifer forests, increasing annual economic losses. Dedicated experiments to investigate how environmental disturbances will affect Heterobasidion sp. - Norway spruce pathosystems are important, in order to understand the epidemiology of this pathogen under the predicted climate change. The main research objective of our group is to study novel genetic and silvicultural approaches to protect Norway spruce from the Heterobasidion species in changing environment.

The more detailed project objectives are:

1) Monitor the genetic profiles of Heterobasidion – Norway spruce tree pathosystem

2) Investigate the phenotypic changes in different tree origins

Necrosis in Norway spruce sapwood after infection with H. parviporum