Skip to main content

Advertisement

SpringerLink
Log in

Plantation forestry diseases in Zambia: Contributing factors and management options

  • Review Article
  • Published:
Annals of Forest Science Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

  • • Plantation forestry in Zambia is based mainly on non-native Eucalyptus and Pinus species and constitutes an important component of the country’s economy. The productivity of these plantations is, however, threatened by several factors, including fungal pathogens that reduce timber quality and cause tree mortality.

  • • In this paper we present a review of diseases affecting plantation forestry and highlight factors that may favour their development and severity in the country.

  • • Plantation health management in the country is seriously hampered by a general lack of information on pests and diseases affecting these plantations. In this regard, most research has been done more than 30 years ago, and very few pathogens have been identified to species level using modern identification techniques.

  • • Recent surveys identified several previously unknown diseases of Eucalyptus spp. in the country, emphasizing the importance of renewed research on this topic. The impact of diseases associated with these pathogens has been exacerbated by poor plantation management, insufficient financial resources and lack of human capacity to deal with them.

  • • Successful plantation management in Zambia will require increased and improved training of foresters regarding tree health issues, more effective quarantine, silvicultural practices, and importantly, the establishment of sound breeding and selection programmes. These will require considerable commitment from Government, commercial companies and research and educational organizations in the country.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Barnes I., Crous P.W., Wingfield B.D., and Wingfield M.J., 2004. Multigene phylogenies reveal that red band needle blight of Pinus is caused by two distinct species of Dothistroma, D. septosporum and D. pini. Stud. Mycol. 50: 551–565.

    Google Scholar 

  • Carniege A.J., Burgess T.I., Beilharz V., and Wingfield M.J., 2007. New species of Mycosphaerella from Myrtaceae in plantations and native forests in eastern Australia. Mycologia 99: 461–474.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Chidumayo E.N., 1989. Land use, deforestation and reforestation in the Zambian Copperbelt. Wiley Inter Science 1, pp. 209–216.

    Google Scholar 

  • Chisanga E.C., Banda E.H., 2004. Necessities of Fire Protection in Zaffico Plantations, Monterey Printing and Packaging, Ndola, 76 p.

  • Chungu D., Gryzenhout M., Muimba-Kankolongo A., Wingifield M.J., and Roux J., 2010. Taxonomy and pathogenicity of two novel Chrysoporthe species from Eucalyptus grandis and Syzygium guineense in Zambia. Mycol. Prog. (In Press). DOI:10.1007/s1 1557-009-0646-9.

  • Coetzee M.P.A., Wingfield B.D., Bloomer P., and Wingfield M.J., 2005. Phylogenetic analyses of DNA sequences reveal species partitions amongst isolates of Armillaria from Africa. Mycol. Res. 109: 1223–1234.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Cortinas M.N., Crous P.W., Wingfield B.D., and Wingfield M.J., 2006. Multi-gene phylogenies and phenotypic characters distinguish two species within the Colletogloeopsis zuluensis complex associated with Eucalyptus stem cankers. Stud. Mycol. 55: 133–146.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Coutinho T.A., Steenkamp E.T., Mongwaketsi K., Wilmot M., and Wingfield M.J., 2007. First outbreak of pitch canker in a South African pine plantation. Australas. Plant Pathol. 36: 265–261.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Crous P.W., Alfenas A.C., and Wingfield M.J., 1993. Calonectria scoparia and Calonectria morganii sp. nov., and variation among isolates of their Cylindrocladium anamorphs. Mycol. Res. 97: 701–708.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Crous P.W., Braun U., and Groenewald J.Z., 2007. Mycosphaerella is polyphyletic. Stud. Mycol. 58: 1–32.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Crous P.W., Wingfield M.J., Mansilla J.P., Alfenas A.C., and Groenewald J.Z., 2006. Phylogenetic reassessment of Mycosphaerella spp. and their anamorphs occurring on Eucalyptus II. Stud. Mycol. 55: 99–131.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • CSIRO, 1996. Don’t overfeed the trees! Ecos 87: 21–24. CSIRO, East Melbourne.

    Google Scholar 

  • Durán A., Slippers B., Gryzenhout M., Ahumada R., Rotella A., Flores F., Wingfield B.D., and Wingfield M.J., 2008. Phytophthora pinifolia sp. nov. associated with a serious disease of Pinus radiata in Chile. Plant Pathol. 57: 715–727.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Evans J., 1992. Plantation Forestry in the Tropics, Oxford University Press, Oxford, 403 p.

    Google Scholar 

  • FAO, 2007. The forest and tree resources of East and Southern Africa, in: State of forest genetic resources in Africa. www.fao.org.

  • Gibson I.A.S., 1975. Diseases of forest trees widely planted as exotics in the tropics and Southern Hemisphere. Part 1. Important members of the Myrtaceae, Leguminosae, and Meliace, Commonwealth Forestry Institute. University of Oxford, UK, pp. 21–34.

    Google Scholar 

  • Gibson I.A.S., Christensen P.S., and Munga F.M., 1964. First observation of a foliage disease of pines in Kenya caused by Dothistroma pini Hulbary. Commonw. For. Rev. 43: 31–48.

    Google Scholar 

  • Gryzenhout M., Wingfield B.D., and Wingfield M.J., 2009. Taxonomy, Phylogeny, and Ecology of Bark-infecting and tree killing Fungi in the Cryphonectriaceae. APS Press, Minnesota, USA.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hunter G.C., Crous P.W., Carnegie A.J., and Wingfield M.J., 2009. Teratosphaeria nubilosa, a serious leaf disease pathogen of Eucalyptus spp. in native and introduced areas. Mol. Plant Pathol. 10: 1–14.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Ivory M.H., 1994. Records of foliage pathogens of Pinus species in tropical countries. Plant Pathol. 43: 511–518.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kile A.G. and Watling R., 1981. An expanded concept of Armillaria luteobubalina. Trans. Brit. Mycol. Soc. 81: 129–140.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Muimba-Kankolongo A., Nawa I.N., Roux J., and Ng’andwe P., 2009. Damage to foliage and stems caused by fungal pathogens in young eucalypt plantations in Zambia. Southern Forests 71: 171–178.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Mwenje E. and Ride J.P., 1996. Morphological and biochemical characteristics of Armillaria isolates from Zimbabwe. Plant Pathol. 45: 1036–1051.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Nakabonge G., Roux J., Gryzenhout M., and Wingfield M.J., 2006. Distribution of Cryphonectria canker pathogens on Eucalyptus and Syzygium spp. in Eastern and Southern Africa. Plant Dis. 90: 734–740.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Purnell R.C. and Lundquist J.E., 1987. Effects of Mycosphaerella leaf spot on growth of Eucalyptus nitens. Plant Dis. 108: 672–681.

    Google Scholar 

  • Roberds J.H., Namkoong G., and Skrøppa T., 1990. Genetic analysis of risk in clonal populations of forest trees. Theor. Appl. Genet. 79: 841–848.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Roux J. and Apetorgbor M., 2009. First report of Chrysoporthe cubensis from Eucalyptus in Ghana. New Disease Reports Vol. 20, Sept 2009 to Jan 2010. http://www.bspp.org.uk/publications/ new-disease-reports/ndr.php.

  • Roux J., Coutinho T.A., Wingfield M.J., Bouillett J.P., and Leigh P., 2000. Diseases of plantation Eucalyptus in the Republic of Congo. S. Afr. J. Sci. 96: 454–456.

    Google Scholar 

  • Roux J., Meke G., Kanyi B., Mbaga A., Hunter G.C., Nakabonge G., Heath R.N., and Wingfield M.J., 2005. Diseases of plantation forestry trees in eastern and southern Africa. S. Afr. J. Sci. 101: 1–5.

    Google Scholar 

  • Roux J., Mthalane Z.L., de Beer Z.W., Eisenberg B., and Wingfield M.J., 2006. Quambalaria leaf and shoot blight on Eucalyptus nitens in South Africa Australas. Plant Pathol. 35: 427–433.

    Google Scholar 

  • Shakacite O., 1991. A review of the pathology of Eucalyptus in Zambia. Research note No. 51, Division of Forest Research, Kitwe, Zambia.

    Google Scholar 

  • Slippers B. and Wingfield M.J., 2007. Botryosphaeriaceae as endophytes and latent pathogens of woody plants: diversity, ecology and impact. Fungal Biology Review 21: 90–106.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sichinga G., 2008. Sanitary problems and wood quality in residual Pinus kesiya trees associated with timber harvesting practices in ZAFFICO plantations. B.Sc. dissertation submitted in School of Natural Resources, Copperbelt University. Kitwe, Zambia.

    Google Scholar 

  • Smith H., Wingfield M.J., Crous P.W., and Coutinho T.A., 1996. Sphaeropsis sapinea and Botryosphaeria dothidea endophytic in Pinus spp. and Eucalyptus spp. in South Africa. S. Afr. J. Bot. 62: 86–88.

    Google Scholar 

  • Van der Pas J.B., 1981. Reduced early growth rates of Pinus radiata caused by Dothistroma pini. New Zeal. J. For. Sci. 11: 210–220.

    Google Scholar 

  • Van Heerden S.W. and Wingfield M.J., 2002. Effect of environment on the response of Eucalyptus clones to inoculation with Cryphonectria cubensis. For. Pathol. 32: 395–402.

    Google Scholar 

  • Wall E. and Keane P.J., 1984. Leaf spot of Eucalyptus spp. caused by Aulographina eucalypti. Trans. Brit. Mycol. Soc. 82: 257–273.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wingfield B.D., Maphosa L., Coetzee M.P.A., Mwenje E., and Wingfield M.J., 2009. Characterization of Zimbabwean Armillaria using IGS-1 sequences and AFLPs. Fungal Divers 34: 185–194.

    Google Scholar 

  • Wingfield M.J., 1987. Foliar pathogens of Eucalyptus in South Africa. Phytophylactica 19: 123.

    Google Scholar 

  • Wingfield M.J., Crous P.W., and Coutinho T.A., 1997. A serious canker disease of Eucalyptus in South Africa caused by a new species of Coniothyrium. Mycopathologia 136: 139–145.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wingfield M.J. and Knox-Davies P.S., 1980. Association of Diplodia pinea with a root disease of pines in South Africa. Plant Dis. 64: 221–223.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wingfield M.J., Slippers B., Hurley B.P., Coutinho T.A., Wingfield B.D., and Roux J., 2008. Eucalypt pests and diseases: growing threats to plantation productivity. Southern Forests 70: 139–144.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wingfield M.J., Swart W.J., and Kemp G.H.J., 1991. Pathological considerations in clonal propagation of Eucalyptus with special reference to the South Africa situation. In: Proceedings of the IUFRO International Symposium on Intensive Forestry: The role of Eucalyptus, Durban 2–6 Sept., pp. 811–820.

  • Zwolinski J.B., Swart W.J., and Wingfield M.J., 1990. Intensity of dieback induced by Sphaeropsis sapinea in relation to site conditions. Eur. J. For. Pathol. 20: 167–174.

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Microbiology and Plant Pathology, Forestry and Agricultural Biotechnology Institute (FABI), University of Pretoria, 0002, Pretoria, South Africa

    Donald Chungu, Michael J. Wingfield & Jolanda Roux

  2. School of Natural Resources, Department of Forest Resources Management, Copperbelt University, Kitwe, Zambia

    Donald Chungu & Ambayeba Muimba-Kankolongo

Authors
  1. Donald Chungu
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Ambayeba Muimba-Kankolongo
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Michael J. Wingfield
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Jolanda Roux
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Donald Chungu.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Chungu, D., Muimba-Kankolongo, A., Wingfield, M.J. et al. Plantation forestry diseases in Zambia: Contributing factors and management options. Ann. For. Sci. 67, 802 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1051/forest/2010039

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1051/forest/2010039

Keywords

Search

Navigation