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Genetics

Genetic Identification of Clones of Armillaria mellea in Coniferous Forests in Washington. James B. Anderson, Graduate student, Department of Botany, University of Vermont, Burlington, 05405; Robert C. Ullrich(2), Lewis F. Roth(3), and Gregory M. Filip(4). (2)Assistant professor, Department of Botany, University of Vermont, Burlington, 05405; (3)Professor, Department of Botany and Plant Pathology, Oregon State University, Corvallis, 97331; (4)Plant pathologist, Forest Insect and Disease Management, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, P.O. Box 3623, Portland, OR 97208. Phytopathology 69:1109-1111. Accepted for publication 24 April 1979. Copyright 1979 The American Phytopathological Society. DOI: 10.1094/Phyto-69-1109.

Armillaria mellea establishes subterranean clones that traverse multiple hosts. The sizes of clones in coniferous forests in Washington were examined in this study. Incompatibility alleles were assayed for 13 fruiting bodies from three separate sites; these alleles were employed as markers to determine the clonal identity of each fruiting body. Only one clone was detected at each of the sites where multiple collections were made. Extensive clonal development of A. mellea on these sites is indicated, which contrasts with the much smaller sized clones in a maple (Acer saccharum) sugar bush in Vermont. The methods described are useful for identifying biological species and estimating clonal relationships of A. mellea present in a given region.