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Relative Pathogenicity of Cryphonectria cubensis on Eucalyptus Clones Differing in Their Resistance to C. cubensis

Cryphonectria cubensis causes a destructive canker disease of Eucalyptus species. Management of this disease is primarily through breeding and selection of disease resistant trees. One means of selecting such trees is by artificial inoculation with the pathogen. In routine screening trials in South Africa, an isolate of C. cubensis, considered to be highly pathogenic, has been used for such inoculations. Although the most resistant clones under natural conditions are the same as those detected in inoculation trials, a question has arisen whether all clones respond similarly to different C. cubensis isolates. Thus, a trial consisting of five clones, known to differ in susceptibility to infection by C. cubensis, was established. These trees were inoculated with nine South African C. cubensis isolates previously shown to differ in pathogenicity. Inoculations showed a significant isolate × clone interaction as well as an “apparent immunity” for one clone × isolate interaction, providing evidence highly suggestive of a vertical resistance component in the pathosystem. Disease screening in this pathosystem has traditionally relied on a single pathogen isolate; however, considering data presented here, future reliance on a single isolate may be inadequate.