Many thanks to all who responded to my inquiry last week about what additives people are currently using in media for isolating basidiomycete fungi, in view of the reduced availability of benomyl. There is a lot to think about in your replies which will be very helpful as we work out where we are headed in our own lab.
A number of those who replied requested that I circulate the email feedback for everyone's benefit, so I have collated all the relevant segments and pasted them below in rough categories. I have also attached and referenced several files that two people sent. If anyone else responds separately I will circulate the email directly, if it is not already distributed on the ForPath mailing list. Regards, Ian H.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Original email query:
"With the reduced availability of Benlate fungicide our lab is seeking other options for a selective medium for isolating basidiomycete cultures (unlike many other fungal groups, basidiomycetes are able to grow in the presence of the added active ingredient, benomyl).
"I would be pleased to hear what media other laboratories may be currently using to isolate basidiomycte fungi and what people may think of their effectiveness". - Ian H (30 Jan.).
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Still using benomyl:
* "Have tried 3 other selective media, but none work well. Still using benomyl streptomycin malt agar. Please let me know what you find". - Dr. James (Jim) T. Blodgett, USDA Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Region, Forest Health Protection, Rapid City, South Dakota.
* "We're still using benomyl here. It seems one small canister will last us over 100 years!" - Dr. Jim Worrall, USDA Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Region, Forest Health Protection, Gunnison, Colorado. [see also below].
* Since I left WV (in 2008) I have not had to isolate for basidios. And back in WV I had a 1lb bag of the stuff squirreled away. Out in CA I'm more often isolating Leptographium on cyclohex. So I'm not much use. However, can I ask that when you accumulate the answers would you be so kind as to send a synthesis to all who respond. - Martin MacKenzie, Forest Pathologist, South Sierra Service Area, Stanislaus National Forest, Sonora, California.
* "That is an interesting question. I still have one bottle of benomyl which I keep safe and still did not need to use alternatives. In past we used poor and acidified media which also to an extent help in selecting basidiomycetes but not as efficiently as benomyl. I guess similar situation is with cycloheximide (actidion)which one could not buy anywhere so I had to rely on my stock and this compound is so successfully used in selective media to isolate Ophiostomatoid fungi. I hope you will write a small review of answers and tips you get from other researchers related to your questions and share it with this group. I would be very interested to hear it". - Adnan Uznovic, Durability and Sustainability, Advanced Building Systems, Vancouver, British Columbia.
* Please inform me of the media you do end up using, as I might want to change someday. I do have quite a bit of Benlate in the lab still, but I am always looking for good selective media. - Michelle Cram, US Forest Service, Forest Health Protection, Athens, Georgia. [see also below].
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Alternatives:
PCNB etc.:
* "This paper lists some alternative media and their relative performance. It's old but I'm not aware of any major developments since then: Worrall, J.J. 1991. Media for selective isolation of hymenomycetes. Mycologia 83(3):296-302. http://www.forestpathology.org/pdfs/worrall1991media.pdf." - Dr. Jim Worrall, USDA Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Region, Forest Health Protection, Gunnison, Colorado.
* "I did a test of several media [see attached: SWFDWcram14.docx]. The PP media developed by (Kuhlman and Hendrix 1962) was very good. I did find adding the 4 ppm of Benlate to this media (PPB media) was good at controlling the Trichoderma, but if I did not have Benlate, I would still use the PP media by Kuhlman and Hendrix.
"PP media, Kuhlman, EG, Hendrix, FF, Jr. 1962. A selective medium for the isolation of Fomes annosus. Phytopathology 52: 1310-1312.
5 g Bacto peptone, 20 g agar, 0.25g MgSO4*7H20, 0.5 g KH2PO4, 0.19 g Pentachloronitrobenzene (or 0.254 g Terrachor), 0.1 g streptomycin sulfate, into 1 liter water; autoclaved and cooled before adding 2 ml lactic acid (50%), and 20 ml ethyl alcohol (95%).
"*Peptone slows the growth of fungi that require a carbohydrate for growth. Spore suspensions of basidiospores and conidia were tested (no data offered though) and germination was slowed down and it took 10-14 days for colonies to develop. Trichoderma is slowed down, but still grows relatively well on the media". - Michelle Cram, US Forest Service, Forest Health Protection, Athens, Georgia.
* "You might experiment a bit with Kuhlman's medium, which US Forest Service scientist George Kuhlman developed many years ago for culture of Heterobasidion irregulare (then considered H. annosum). I do not have the recipe at my fingertips, but a www search should turn up the citation". - Professor Glen R. Stanosz, Department of Forest and Wildlife Ecology, University of Wisconsin, Madison, Wisconsin.
* "We still use PCNB..." - Professor Steve Woodward, Department of Plant and Soil Science, Institute of Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of Aberdeen.
Other azoles etc.:
* "Just a thought on the question: I suggest testing several azoles such as propiconazole (Alamo, Banner Maxx) or thiabendazole (Arbotect 20S). Both are used as injectants for Dutch elm disease. Also, I believe that several other azoles are used against dermatophytes (athlete's foot, tinea cruris). I also suggest that you contact Dr. Jessie Glaeser, USFS Forest Products Lab., Madison, WI, who may provide much greater insights. Her doctoral research was published in Mycotaxon, and she did some highly significant work on differentiating certain fungal taxa via selective media. Good luck, for I feel sure the effective agent is out there!" -Jay Stipes, Prof. Emeritus, Virginia Tech., Blacksburg, Virginia.
* "I would look into thiophanate methyl. Thiophanate methyl is a breakdown product of benomyl and is not effective against basidiomycetes. Ever since benomyl was phased out, rust pathologists have routinely added this to trays of young growing cereal seedlings representing resistance gene isolines, prior to inoculation with rust, in the process of identifying rust "races" ".- Dr. Paul Zambino, US Forest Service, Region 1 Forest Health Protection, Coeur d'Alene, Idaho.
* I agree. Thiophanate would be a good candidate. There is a good spate of azoles, and this would be an excellent research project. - Jay Stipes.
* "Here is a "fossil" formula, perhaps still working. But nowadays we use malt agar with thiabendazole (after Guillaumin, see attachment [Thiabendazolagar Rp Holdenrieder et al 19942DSCN4218.jpeg] with formula 8with very good results! only the thiabendazole need several weeks to dissolve in the lactic acid. But you can keep the stock solution forever). I think we cited this many years ago in a conference contribution: Holdenrieder, O., Schmid-Haas, P., Baumann, E. (1994): Isolation of decay fungi from increment cores: Frustrating experience from Switzerland. Proc. 8th IUFRO Int. Root and Butt Rot Conf., Uppsala and Porvoo., Aug. 8-16, 1993.: 57-581. But I cannot locate the original currently). Best regards." - Prof. Dr. Ottmar Holdenrieder, Forest Pathology and Dendrology Section, Dept. of Environmental Sciences, Federal Institute of Technology, Zurich. [attachment: Zhang Holdenrieder 1983 Selective Media.pdf].
And...:
* "Instead of Benomyl (Benlate) we use to add to normal PDA or MA: chloramphenicol 0,1 g/l (Sigma-Aldrich) together with streptomicin 0,05 g/l (Sigma-Aldrich). For us it is Ok, even though I would prefer the old Benomyl, but...". - Nicola La Porta, IASMA Research and Innovation Centre, Fondazione Edmund Mach, Sustainable Agro-ecosystems and Bioresources Dept., San Michele all'Adige, Trento, Italy.
____________________________
Ian Hood
Forest Protection Scientist
Scion (NZ Forest Research Inst. Ltd.)
49 Sala Street, Private Bag 3020, Rotorua 3046, New Zealand
DDI +64 7 343 5538
www.scionresearch.com<http://www.scionresearch.com/> | My Scion Profile<http://www.scionresearch.com/general/about-us/our-people/people/fs/ian-hood> | My LinkedIn Profile<https://www.linkedin.com/profile/view?id=123459716&authType=NAME_SEARCH&aut…>
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________________________________
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I would look into thiophanate methyl. Thiophanate methyl is a breakdown product of benomyl and is not effective against basidiomycetes.
Ever since benomyl was phased out, rust pathologists have routinely added this to trays of young growing cereal seedlings representing resistance gene isolines, prior to inoculation with rust, in the process of identifying rust "races".
[Forest Service Shield]
Paul Zambino, PhD
Plant Pathologist
Forest Service
Region 1 Forest Health Protection, Coeur d'Alene Field Office
p: 208-765-7493
c: 208-446-4251
f: 208-765-7307
pzambino(a)fs.fed.us<mailto:pzambino@fs.fed.us>
3815 N Schreiber Way
Coeur d'Alene, ID 83815
www.fs.fed.us<http://www.fs.fed.us/>
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Caring for the land and serving people
From: rg70200-forpath-bounces(a)lists.iufro.org [mailto:rg70200-forpath-bounces@lists.iufro.org] On Behalf Of Ian Hood
Sent: Thursday, January 29, 2015 1:36 PM
To: rg70200-forpath(a)lists.iufro.org
Subject: [IUFRO RG 7.02 FORPATH] Selective culture medium for isolating basidiomycetes
With the reduced availability of Benlate fungicide our lab is seeking other options for a selective medium for isolating basidiomycete cultures (unlike many other fungal groups, basidiomycetes are able to grow in the presence of the added active ingredient, benomyl).
I would be pleased to hear what media other laboratories may be currently using to isolate basidiomycte fungi and what people may think of their effectiveness.
____________________________
Ian Hood
Forest Protection Scientist
Scion (NZ Forest Research Inst. Ltd.)
49 Sala Street, Private Bag 3020, Rotorua 3046, New Zealand
DDI +64 7 343 5538
www.scionresearch.com<http://www.scionresearch.com/> | My Scion Profile<http://www.scionresearch.com/general/about-us/our-people/people/fs/ian-hood> | My LinkedIn Profile<https://www.linkedin.com/profile/view?id=123459716&authType=NAME_SEARCH&aut…>
www.youtube.com/scionresearch<http://www.youtube.com/scionresearch> | New Zealand forest disease leaflets<http://www.scionresearch.com/research/forest-science/biosecurity/forestpath…>
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This electronic message contains information generated by the USDA solely for the intended recipients. Any unauthorized interception of this message or the use or disclosure of the information it contains may violate the law and subject the violator to civil or criminal penalties. If you believe you have received this message in error, please notify the sender and delete the email immediately.
Attached is an outreach notification for a prospective plant pathologist position with the Northern Region, Forest Health Protection. The position will be located in Coeur d'Alene, ID.
Please share with anyone who may be interested.
Thanks
Gregg
[USFS]
Gregg DeNitto
Forest Pathologist/Group Leader
Forest Service
Northern and Intermountain Regions
Forest Health Protection
Missoula Field Office
p: 406-329-3637
c: 406-396-8840
f: 406-329-3557
gdenitto(a)fs.fed.us<mailto:gdenitto@fs.fed.us>
200 E Broadway
Missoula, MT 59807
http://www.fs.usda.gov/main/r1/forest-grasslandhealth
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Caring for the land and serving people
This electronic message contains information generated by the USDA solely for the intended recipients. Any unauthorized interception of this message or the use or disclosure of the information it contains may violate the law and subject the violator to civil or criminal penalties. If you believe you have received this message in error, please notify the sender and delete the email immediately.
Dear All,
Attached, please find an advertisement for a Post-Doctoral Fellowship opportunity at the University of Alberta, located in Edmonton, Alberta, in the laboratory of Dr. Janice Cooke. The primary objective of this collaborative project is to study the genomics of resistance to Endocronartium harknessii by lodgepole pine, jack pine and their hybrids for utilisation in pine breeding programmes.
Funding is in place and the position is immediately available; therefore, if you are interested, please do not hesitate to apply following the guidelines in the attachment.
Regards, Tod
Tod Ramsfield, PhD
Research Scientist Forest Pathology | Chercheur, Pathologie forestière
Natural Resources Canada | Ressources naturelles Canada
Canadian Forest Service | Service canadien des forêts
Northern Forestry Centre | Centre de foresterie du nord
5320 122 Street
Edmonton, Alberta T6H 3S5
Canada
Tel : (780) 435 - 7394 Fax : (780) 435 - 7359
Email : Tod.Ramsfield(a)nrcan-rncan.gc.ca
Dear colleagues,
please find enclosed the 2nd announcement of IUFRO WP 7.03.10 meeting.
With best wishes for Christmas and coming year 2015
Looking forward to see you on the meeting
Milos Knizek
********************************************
Ing. Miloš Knížek, Ph.D.
Výzkumný ústav lesního hospodářství a myslivosti
Jíloviště - Strnady
Praha 5 - Zbraslav
156 00
Ing. Milos Knizek, Ph.D.
Forestry and Game Management Research Institute
Jiloviste - Strnady
Praha 5 - Zbraslav
CZ - 156 00
Czechia
********************************************
Dear Colleagues,
With the year drawing to a close, now is a good time to start thinking about travel plans for 2015 by reading the latest IUFRO RG 7.03 Entomology newsletter at:
http://forestinsects.org/iufro/70300_Newsletter_2014.pdf
Please take note of the information about the several IUFRO Forest Entomology working party meetings being planned for 2015. I'm sure that most of you would agree that IUFRO working party meetings are a fantastic opportunity to visit with old colleagues, meet new ones and find out about exciting new work happening in our field in different parts of the world.
In addition to information about upcoming conferences, the newsletter also contains reports on past meetings as well as news about the latest recipient of the George Varley award for excellence in forest insect research.
I wish all of you a peaceful holiday season and a great 2015!
-Sandy
[Forest Service Shield]
Andrew Liebhold
Research Entomologist
Forest Service
Northern Research Station
p: 304-285-1512
c: 724-317-8668
f: 304-285-1505
aliebhold(a)fs.fed.us<mailto:aliebhold@fs.fed.us>
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This electronic message contains information generated by the USDA solely for the intended recipients. Any unauthorized interception of this message or the use or disclosure of the information it contains may violate the law and subject the violator to civil or criminal penalties. If you believe you have received this message in error, please notify the sender and delete the email immediately.
Hello,
There is a Forest Ecosystem Health position opening at the University of New Hampshire in the College of Life Sciences and Agriculture. This position is part of a broader cluster hire with a climate change emphasis that includes three other positions: Quantitative Ecologist, Environmental Economist, and Agricultural Engineer. For more information, please contact:
Mark J. Ducey
Professor of Forest Biometrics and Management
Senior Fellow, The Carsey Institute
University of New Hampshire
Department of Natural Resources and the Environment
114 James Hall
Durham, NH 03824 USA
Tel. (603) 862-4429
Fax (603) 862-4976
Mark.Ducey(a)unh.edu<mailto:Mark.Ducey@unh.edu>
Please pass this announcement to anyone you think might be interested.
Thanks,
Kevin
[USFS]
Kevin J. Dodds
Forest Entomologist
Forest Service
Northeastern Area State and Private Forestry
p: 603-868-7743
c: 603-397-2669
f: 603-868-1066
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271 Mast Rd.
Durham, NH 03824
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Von: Im Auftrag von iufro2015
Gesendet: Freitag, 28. November 2014 12:55
An: rg70200-forpath(a)lists.iufro.org
Betreff: IUFRO- Working Party 7.02.01 “Root and Butt rot of Forest Trees"
Dear colleagues,
It is a great pleasure for us to invite you to attend the 14th International Conference of the International Union of Forestry Research Organization (IUFRO) Working Party 7.02.01 “Root and Butt rot of Forest Trees”!
You can find some preliminary information about the meeting on the web page given below.
We will continue to keep you informed of our progress about the meeting.
http://ormanweb.sdu.edu.tr/iufro2015/
Yours sincerely,
H. Tuğba Doğmuş- Lehtijarvi
Dear Forpathers and Forenters,
I wanted to alert you to this exciting possibility for promising, high caliber, motivated students to join our Translational Plant Sciences Graduate Program here at Ohio State (see below and attached). I am specifically interested in finding students who may want to work with me, through this program, on forest/tree health matters involving translational aspects of plant biotechnology.
Let me know if you have any questions.
Respectfully,
Enrico
[The Ohio State University]
Pierluigi (Enrico) Bonello Professor
Dept. of Plant Pathology
201 Kottman Hall | 2021 Coffey Road Columbus, OH 43210
614-688-5401 Office | 614-292-4455 Fax
bonello.2(a)osu.edu<mailto:bonello.2@osu.edu> osu.edu<http://osu.edu/>
http://plantpath.osu.edu/bonello - http://caps.osu.edu<http://caps.osu.edu/> - http://cmib.osu.edu<http://cmib.osu.edu/> - http://esgp.osu.edu<http://esgp.osu.edu/>/
______________________________________________________
The Ohio State Translational Plant Sciences Graduate Program (TPS - http://tpsgp.osu.edu/) is starting its third year with a call for highly qualified graduate students. This is an exciting program. Please let your students know of this opportunity!
* TPS-GP is designed to offer an individually driven pathway for our students to attain their PhDs. This could include an internship in a company, national lab, not for profit, etc. It could also include an international experience, either via an internship or as a student in our Dual-Degree program, which allows students to earn 2 PhDs at the same time, one from OSU and one from the University of Sao Paulo, Brazil.
* The TPS-GP program is focused on a rigorous research experience that could include laboratory rotations and minimal coursework. Our Graduate Studies Committee is dedicated to tailoring every student's path to their PhD based on what each individual desires.
* Importantly, the TPS program pays a guaranteed fellowship with no teaching requirement, plus $2,000 per year for education & research needs, and 100% tuition remission for the full five years for students that maintain good standing in the program. That is a PhD "full-ride"!
* We are a young program here at OSU, which means our students have the individual attention of not only their advisor(s), but also the Program Chair, Dr. Thomas Mitchell, Program Director, Dr. Erich Grotewold, and all of the other members of the TPS faculty. They are all dedicated to seeing this trans-disciplinary program succeed.
* Students can be placed with faculty members from many different departments. These include Plant Pathology, Entomology, Horticulture and Crop Sciences, Molecular Genetics, Chem/Biochem, Microbiology, and Internal Medicine. Our students have the opportunity to work on novel interdisciplinary projects tailored to our students' long-term goals.
*
Ohio State is one of America's largest and most comprehensive universities. The main campus is located in the city of Columbus, the state capital (http://www.experiencecolumbus.com) The University is consistently ranked among the top national public universities. Here is a link to a few of our high points (updated periodically): http://www.osu.edu/highpoints/.
Hello All,
Assistant Professor
Forest Pathology
Oregon State University
The Department of Botany and Plant Pathology (BPP) (http://bpp.oregonstate.edu/) seeks applicants for a 9-month, full-time (1.0 FTE), tenure-track faculty position in Forest Pathology. This position is a joint position with the Department of Forest Ecosystems & Society (http://fes.forestry.oregonstate.edu/) with a tenure home in BPP.
The successful candidate is expected to establish an innovative and competitive research program that pursues scholarly work in the area of Forest Pathology. Research specialization within Forest Pathology is open, although as part of the research effort, the candidate will be expected to address emerging and/or re-emerging diseases in forest ecosystems of Oregon. Recognition will be given to collaborative efforts with researchers at OSU and at other national or international institutions.
The incumbent will contribute to the teaching of a course in forest disease management and will teach a course supportive of the Plant Pathology curriculum. There is an expectation that the candidate will mentor and serve as research advisor to graduate students and postdoctoral researchers, and will support outreach efforts in forest health.
Required qualifications include a PhD with research experience in plant pathology, mycology or closely related field, and a commitment to promoting and enhancing diversity. Postdoctoral experience is strongly preferred. Other preferred qualifications include research experience in forest pathology, potential for effective teaching and development of an interdisciplinary research program, and a record of/commitment to work with underrepresented/underserved students or other audiences.
To review the position description and apply, go to posting #_0013186_ at http://oregonstate.edu/jobs. OSU is an AA/EOE. For full consideration, apply by 12/10/14 when review of applications will begin. Closing date is 01/15/15.
David Shaw
Associate Professor, Forest Engineering, Resources and Management
Oregon State University
dave.shaw(a)oregonstate.edu<mailto:dave.shaw@oregonstate.edu>
541.737.2845
