Mycoflora associated with slash‐pine seeds from cones collected at seed orchards and cone‐processing facilities in the south‐eastern USA1

Summary A diverse mycoflora was associated with slash‐pine seeds from cones obtained at seed orchards and cone‐processing facilities in the southeastern USA. Potentially pathogenic fungi, including Lasiodiplodia tbeobromae, Sphaeropsis sapinea, and Fusarium spp., were isolated from seeds of cones obtained at all locations. Fusarium proliferatum and F. semitectum were the Fusarium spp. most often associated with seeds; F. subglutinans was rarely isolated. Many other species of fungi were associated with seeds from all locations. Incidence of fungus‐damaged seeds ranged from 2 to 11% among collection sites. Disease incidence was found to increase during cone storage. Types of fungi and the incidence of fungus‐damaged seeds were similar for damaged/discoloured cones and apparently healthy cones. The potential for slash‐pine seeds to become colonized by pathogenic fungi, such as S. sapinea and the various Fusarium spp., could have important implications for the establishment of these fungi in forest‐tree nurseries, as well as their introduction into foreign countries.