Neonectria cankers on trees
– meeting changed climatic conditions and increased problems in Nordic horticulture and forest production by interdisciplinary networking
Coordinator: Jorunn Børve jorunn.borve@nibio.no
Financing: 170 000 SEK
Period: 2017-2018
Climate change resulting in milder winters and increased precipitation, leads to increased outbreaks of canker diseases caused by Neonectria spp. in the Nordic countries. SNS have decided to finance a network which aims to enable proper management of the infection and reduce the loss of income in forestry and horticulture.
Neonectria, a genus of fungi which currently causes significant economic losses in the Nordic countries, especially in apple orchards as well as in Christmas tree and timber production and even in urban landscaping with city trees. The genus is of importance both in horticulture and forestry and the problem is thus cross-sectorial.
Gather the knowledge
The researchers from Norway, Sweden and Finland in the SNS network Neonectria Cankers on Trees see a significant need to increase the knowledge about the distribution, biology and genetics of these diseases, and to reinforce collaboration between research communities and stakeholders across sectors. Experiences gathered by growers, people in extension services, silviculturists, nursery managers, arborists and other actors will be discussed together with research results for exchange and mutual benefit.
Nordic and global problem
Neonectria is a known problem worldwide and the network will invite speakers from outside Nordic region to benefit from their knowledge and establish new collaborations.
The network will focus on increasing the synergies between forest and horticulture. The three species of neonectria the network will concentrate on, N. ditissima, N. neomacrospora and N. fuckeliana, are closely related and therefore the management strategies developed for one of the pathogens may be applicable for the other two.
Activities
The SNS network Neonectria Cankers on Trees will arrange a meeting February 6th 2018 at Ås in Norway and an international symposium in the autumn 2018. In between the gatherings the participants will work in groups and meet on the internet. An online book of abstracts will be published as well as trade journal papers in the respective participating countries.
Participants:
Denmark:
Horticulture:
- Aarhus University (Magnus Gammelgard Nielsen)
- Gartnerirådgivningen (Julie Schow Christiansen)
Forest:
- University of Copenhagen (coapplicant Iben M Thomsen and PhD students Knud Nor Nielsen and Jing Xu)
- Danska Juletraer (Claus Jerram Christensen)
- Naturstyrelsen (Gunnar Friis Proschowsky)
- Skovdyrkerforeningen (Henning Post)
Finland:
Horticulture:
- LUKE (coapplicant Tuuli Haikonen), ProAgria/Finska Hushållningssällskapet (Fredrik Björklund)
Forest:
- LUKE (coapplicant Anne Uimari)
Norway:
Horticulture:
- NIBIO (main applicant Jorunn Børve and coapplicant Venche Talgø)
- Norsk Landbrugsrådgivning (Gaute Myren)
Forest:
- NIBIO (coapplicant Venche Talgø)
- Norsk Juletre (John-Anders Strande)
Sweden:
Horticulture:
- SLU (coapplicants Larisa Gustavsson and Kerstin Dalman)
Forest:
- SLU (coapplicants Kerstin Dalman and Martin Pettersson)
Åland:
Horticulture:
- ProAgria/Ålands Hushållningssällskap (Pernilla Gabrielsson)
Collegues at each institution with interest within the topics will be invited as well.
LinkedIn group European Canker will be invited.