Ophiostomatoid Fungi Transported by Ips sexdentatus (Coleoptera, Scolytidae) in Pinus pinaster in NW Spain

Ips sexdentatus (Coleoptera; Scolytidae) is one of the main vectors of ophiostomatoid blue stain fungi that can cause mortality of healthy conifers. For this reason, our objective was to identify the fungal species carried by this bark beetle in Maritime pine (Pious pinaster) in north-western Spain. We collected insects from naturally infected pines placed them on malt extract agar (MEA) and left to walk freely on culture plates. Plant tissues (phloem and xylem) from adult pines were cultivated in moist chambers and also on MEA. At the same time, we inoculated pine logs with living insects in the laboratory. Four ophiostomatoid fungi appeared: Ophiostoma ips, Ophiostoma brunneo-ciliatum, Ceratocystiopsis minuta and Ophiostoma sp., as well as Graphium and Sporothrix imperfect stages. Moreover there were seven saprophytic species: Penicillium sp., Trichoderma sp., Verticillium sp., Mucor sp., Aspergillus niger, Gliocladium viride and Scopulariopsis brevicaulis, and the pathogenic Ophiostoma ips. The fructification percentage of the ophiostomatoid species was low, however; its imperfect stage Sporothrix/Hyalorhinocladiella produced high quantity of conidiophores.