Southern Research Station

Title: Melanin and the ecology of southern pine beetle associated fungi

Author: Klepzig, Kier D.

Date: 2006

Source: Symbiosis. 40: 137–140

Description: I report here a series of initial investigations into effects of melanins on the interactions of the three primary species of fungi associated with the southern pine beetle (SPB), and into possible means for mitigating the damaging activities of the melanistic fungus, Ophiostoma minus. Growth of the SPB mutualistic fungus Entomocorticium sp. A on high melanin medium was less than half of the growth on control medium. Growth of O. ranaculosum was not significantly affected by the addition of melanin to malt extract agar. Four species of biological control (of bluestain) fungi showed the ability to decolorize melanistic O. minus cultures to various extents.

Keywords: Mutualism, Ophiostoma, Entomocorticium, Dendroctonus, competition

View and Print this Publication (556 KB)

Publication Notes: 

• We recommend that you also print this page and attach it to the printout of the article, to retain the full citation information.
• This article was written and prepared by U.S. Government employees on official time, and is therefore in the public domain.

 Get the latest version of the Adobe Acrobat reader or Acrobat Reader for Windows with Search and Accessibility

Citation

Klepzig, Kier D.  2006.  Melanin and the ecology of southern pine beetle associated fungi.   Symbiosis. 40: 137–140