Semester

Spring

Date of Graduation

2023

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Type

MS

College

Davis College of Agriculture, Natural Resources and Design

Department

Division of Plant and Soil Sciences

Committee Chair

Matthew Kasson

Committee Member

Brian Lovett

Committee Member

Daniel Panaccione

Committee Member

Elizabeth Rowen

Committee Member

Jamie Schuler

Abstract

The production of maple syrup is a valuable source of income and cultural identity for many rural communities throughout the central Appalachian region. Regardless, maple syrup producers face difficulties maintaining the health and productivity
of their stands due to various impacts of climate change, which have given rise to extreme weather events that exacerbate damage caused by pests and diseases. To ensure the long-term sustainability of the maple syrup industry, it is crucial to obtain a comprehensive understanding of the current biotic threats within the region, particularly woodboring insects and fungal pathogens. However, insufficient information exists regarding the community assemblages of these organisms present in stands managed for syrup production, particularly in the central Appalachian region. Providing up-to-date surveys of fungal pathogens and woodboring pests in these areas will help guide management recommendations to mitigate stressors and better inform various stakeholders in the region. Efforts of this study focused on: (i) identifying bark and ambrosia beetle (Coleoptera: Curculionidae: Scolytinae) and longhorn beetle (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae) species found in sugarbush stands within the region, (ii) providing contemporary baseline data on the occurrence of fungal species found in association with diseased maple trees, (iii) characterization and comparison of fungal and woodboring beetle communities associated with these stands, and (iv) elucidating their potential threats to syrup production in the region. In total, 2,603 beetles were collected across three locations, most of which encompassed Scolytinae, with the two most abundant genera being Xyleborinus and Xylosandrus. Additionally, the collection of the exotic beetles Dryoxylon onoharaense and Xyleborinus attenuatus represents, to the best of our knowledge, a first-time report of these species for the state of West Virginia. Of the fungi, a total of 414 isolates were collected and DNA sequenced. The two most commonly recovered orders were Hypocreales, and Xylariales, and some of the most commonly recovered genera included Tolypocladium, Clonostachys, and Fusarium. Several disease agents included Armillaria, Climacodon septentrionalis, and Eutypella parasitica. Additionally, phylogenetic analyses revealed two putative novel species of Tolypocladium
and one putative novel species of Melogramma. None of the fungal species or woodboring beetles recovered from these stands pose significant economic risk to syrup production, though continued monitoring is necessary to maintain stand health and detect future threats in the region.

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