Laboratory of Root System Pathology


Head: Dr. Marcin Zadworny

Scientific staff:

  • Dr. Joanna Mucha Adres poczty elektronicznej jest chroniony przed robotami spamującymi. W przeglądarce musi być włączona obsługa JavaScript, żeby go zobaczyć.
  • Dr. Anna Napierała-Filipiak Adres poczty elektronicznej jest chroniony przed robotami spamującymi. W przeglądarce musi być włączona obsługa JavaScript, żeby go zobaczyć.
  • Dr. Marcin Zadworny Adres poczty elektronicznej jest chroniony przed robotami spamującymi. W przeglądarce musi być włączona obsługa JavaScript, żeby go zobaczyć.

Technical staff:

  • Ludmiła Bladocha

 

Research interests:

The research includes (i) studies on the butt and root rot caused by Heterobasidion annosum and Armillaria spp.; (ii) influence of mycorrhizae on trees of managed forests stressed by pollution and pathogens; (iii) the adaptability of mycorrhizal fungi to former agricultural soils and soils of fallow lands. Current works are focused on the early and late stages of the interactions between Scots pine, Norway spruce and common fir and H. annosum, the pathogen virulence, host susceptibility and the host preference. The study includes also comparison of genetic resistance on H. annosum of the progeny of alive trees in the center of the disease and the resistance of progeny of selected trees from seed orchards in laboratory and greenhouse and field conditions. Through our work on mycorrhiza we try to identify the main factors and/or mechanisms involved in a higher host tolerance to stress factors. Research on the interactions between ectomycorrhizal fungi and expansive soil saprobes from post-agricultural lands are concentrated on morphological and cytological aspects of mycoparasitic activities of ectomycorrhizal fungi using scanning and transmission electron microscopy and cytochemical and immuno-cytochemical methods. The studies are focused on ectomycorrhizal fungi to penetrate spores and hyphae and on the role of secondary metabolites and enzymes involved in weakening of the host hyphae. Moreover, the mitochondrion distribution and morphology and array of microtubule are studied. The ability of ectomycorrhizal fungi to obtain nutrients from spores of soil fungi through parasitism and subsequent translocation to the mycorrhizal plant is also studied.


Collaborative research:

Laboratory of Root Pathology cooperates with various institutions, among others with Laboratory of Woody Plant Physiology The Pennsylvania State University, Department of Forest Pathology, University of Agriculture in Poznań, Laboratory of Electron and Confocal Microscopy, Faculty of Biology, Adam Mickiewicz University in Poznań and Department of Chemistry, Maria Curie-Skłodowska University in Lublin, Department of Microbiology and Department of Cell Biology Mikolaj Kopernik University, which resulted in publication and research projects.:

  • Distribution of the P-, S- and F-intersterility groups of Heterobasidion annosum (Fr.) Bref. in Poland and their virulence on Scots pine, Norway spruce and common fir. Project financed by the Polish Committee for Scientific Research. 1998-2001. (Łakomy P., Werner A., Idzikowska K.)
  • Genetic variation in populations of Heterobasidion annosum (Fr.) Bref., virulence of strains, incidence of the pathogen and economic losses to coniferous forests. Project financed by the Polish Committee for Scientific Research. 2002-2004. (Łakomy P., Werner A.)


List of selected grants and scientific studies carried out (since 1993) in the Laboratory of Root Pathology:

  • Dynamic reorganization of the cytoskeletal components in pine seedlings during the resistance response to Heterobasidion annosum (P, S, F type) infection (Marcin Zadworny, Piotr Łakomy, Dariusz Jan Smoliński, Marzenna Guzicka, Sławomir Samardakiewicz)
  • The role of iron in defense reaction of Pinus sylvestris L. seedlings against isolates of Heterobasidion annosum belonging to different intersterility groups and the participation of low molecular compounds of pathogen in host infection (Joanna Mucha, Piotr Łakomy, Marcin Zadworny, Marzenna Guzicka)
  • Role of mycorrhizal fungi in protection of Scots pine against root rot fungus (Heterobasidion annosum) on risk soils. Project financed by the Polish Committee for Scientific Research. 1993-1996. (Werner A., Napierała A).
  • Effect of mycorrhizal fungi on the tolerance of Scots pine to infection by Heterobasidion annosum (Fr.) Bref. Project financed by the Polish Committee for Scientific Research. 1996-2000. (Werner A., Napierała-Filipiak A., Idzikowska K., Mardarowicz M., Gawdzik J.)
  • Effect of saprobic soil fungi on mycorrhizal fungi of Scots pine introduced into arable soils. Project financed by the Polish Committee for Scientific Research. 1997-2000. (Werner A., Idzikowska K., Zadworny M.).
  • Effect of mycorrhiza on the adaptability of heather (Calluna vulgaris L. Salisb.) to soils degraded and contaminated with toxic metals. Project financed by the Polish Committee for Scientific Research. 2000-2003. (Nawrocka-Grześkowiak U., Werner A., Zadworny M.).
  • Effect of pollution on mycorrhizal fungi and incidence of Armillaria ostoyae and Heterobasidion annosum in root system of pines (Pinus sylvestris L.) introduced into arable and fallow land soils. Project financed by the Polish Committee for Scientific Research. 2002-2004. (Werner A., Łakomy P., Majewska B., Zadworny M.).
  • The reaction of woody plants to the action of biotic factors in environment changed by environmental factors. Project financed by the Polish Committee for Scientific Research. 2001-2004. (Karolewski P., Bąkowski M., Giertych M.J., Oleksyn J., Werner A., Żytkowiak R.).
  • Effect of mycorrhizas on the incidence of root rot [(Heterobasidion annosum (Fr.) Bref.] in Scots pine stands showing elevated level of aluminium ions. Project financed by the Polish Committee for Scientific Research. 2002-2004. (Werner A., Majewska B.)
  • Interactions between ectomycorrhizal fungus Laccaria laccata and soil saprobic fungi from genus of Trichoderma (T. harzianum and T. virens) in the rhizosphere of Scots pine in vitro. Project financed by the Polish Committee for Scientific Research. 2002-2003. (Zadworny M.)
  • Evaluation of the resistance to root-rot fungus (Heterobasidion annosum (Fr.) Bref.)) of the progeny of trees from natural regeneration in old disease centers and trees from seed orchards. Project financed by the Polish Committee for Scientific Research. 2003-2006. (Napierała-Filipiak A., Werner A., Filipiak M., Mucha J.)


Selected publications:


  • Goebel M., Hobbie S.E., Bulaj B., Zadworny M., Archibald D.D., Oleksyn J., Reich P.B., Eissenstat D.M. Decomposition of the finest root branching orders: Linking carbon and nutrient dynamics belowground to fine root function and structure. Ecological Monographs (accepted)
  • Karolewski P., Zadworny M., Mucha J., Napierała-Filipiak A., Oleksyn J. Link between defoliation and root vitality in five understory shrubs with different resistance to insect herbivores. Tree Physiology (accepted).
  • Trocha L.K., Mucha J., Eissenstat D.M., Reich P.B., Oleksyn J. 2010. Ectomycorrhizal identity determines respiration and concentrations of nitrogen and non-structural carbohydrates in root tips: a test using Pinus sylvestris and Quercus robur saplings. Tree Physiology 30: 648-654.
  • Mucha J., Zadworny M., Werner A. 2009. Cytoskeleton and mitochondrial morphology of saprotrophs and the pathogen Heterobasidion annosum in the presence of Suillus bovinus metabolites. Mycological Research 113 (9): 981-990
  • Filipiak M., Napierała-Filipiak A. 2009. Effect of canopy density on the defoliation of the European silver fir (Abies alba Mill.) due to heavy industrial pollution. Dendrobiology 62: 17-22
  • Filipiak M., Napierała-Filipiak A. 2008. Relation between the height of Japanese larch (Larix kaempferi Sarg.) and some climatic characteristics in Poland. Dendrobiology 60: 11-17.
  • Mucha J., Zadworny M., Werner A., Napierała-Filipiak A., Łakomy P. 2008. Antagonistic activity of the ectomycorrhizal fungus Suillus bovinus challenged by saprotrophic fungi from different soils. Nova Hedwigia 87 (3-4): 373-385.
  • Zadworny M., Górski Z., Koczorowska E., Werner A. 2008. Conidia of Trichoderma virens as a phosphorus source for mycorrhizal Pinus sylvestris seedlings. Mycorrhiza 19: 61-66
  • Bagniewska-Zadworna A., Zenkteler E., Karolewski P., Zadworny M. 2008. Phenolic compound localisation in Polypodium vulgare L. rhizomes after mannitol-induced dehydration and controlled desiccation. Plant Cell Report, 27: 1251-1259
  • Zadworny M., Tuszuńska S., Samardakiewicz S., Werner A. 2007. Effects of mutual interaction of Laccaria laccata with Trichoderma harzianum and T. virens on the morphology of microtubules and mitochondria. Protoplasma, 232: 45-53.
  • Zadworny M., Smoliński D. J., Idzikowska K., Werner A. 2007. Ultrastructural and cytochemical aspects of the interaction between the ectomycorrhizal fungus Laccaria laccata and the saprotrophic fungi, Trichoderma harzianumT. virens. Biocontrol Science and Technology. 17:9, 921-932. and
  • Mucha J., Dahm H., Werner A. 2007. Influence of autoclaved saprotrophic fungal mycelia on proteolytic activity in ectomycorrhizal fungi. Antonie van Leeuwenhoek, 92: 137-142.
  • Łakomy P., Broda Z., Werner A. 2007. Genetic diversity of Heterobasidion spp. in Scots pine, Norway spruce and European silver fir stands. Acta Mycologica, 42 (2): 203-210.
  • Mucha J., Dahm H., Strzelczyk E., Werner A. 2006. Synthesis of enzymes connected with mycoparasitism by ectomycorrhizal fungi. Archives of Microbiology, 185: 69-77.
  • Werner A., Łakomy P., Idzikowska K., Zadworny M. 2005. Initial stages of host pathogen interaction between Pinus sylvestris seedling and the P-, S- and F-intersterility group isolates of Heterobasidion annosum. Dendrobiology, 54: 57-63.
  • Majewska B., Werner A., Łakomy P. 2004. Tolerance of intersterility group isolates of Heterobasidion annosum to low pH and aluminium on solid medium. Dendrobiology, 51: 37-41.
  • Nawrocka-Grześkowiak U. 2004. Effect of stock and grafting method on succesful graft union in rhododendrons. Dendrobiology, 51: 53-57.
  • Nawrocka-Grześkowiak U. 2004. Effect of growth substances on the rooting of cuttings of rhododendron species. Folia Horticulturae Ann. 16/1: 115-123.
  • Werner A., Karolewski P. 2004. The effects of toxic metals, content of nutrients and inoculation with mycorrhizal fungi on the level of phenolics in roots and growth of Scots pine seedlings. Acta. Physiol. Plant. 26(2): 177-186.
  • Werner A., Napierała-Filipiak A., Mardarowicz M., Gawdzik P. 2004. The effects of heavy metals, content of nutrients and inoculation with mycorrhizal fungi on the level of terpenoids in roots of Pinus sylvestris seedlings. Acta. Physiol. Plant. 26(2): 187-196.
  • Zadworny M., Werner A., Idzikowska K. 2004. Behaviour of the hyphae of Laccaria laccata in the presence of Trichoderma harzianum in vitro. Mycorrhiza, 14: 401-405.
  • Łakomy P., Werner A. 2003. Distribution of Heterobasidion annosum intersterility groups in Poland. Forest Pathology 33: 105 -112.
  • Werner A., Zadworny M. 2003. In vitro evidence of mycoparasitism of the ectomycorrhizal fungus Laccaria laccataMucor hiemalis in the rhizosphere of Pinus sylvestris. Mycorrhiza, 13: 41 - 47. against
  • Napierała-Filipiak A. 2002. The role of mycorrhizal fungi in protection of Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) against root rot caused by Heterobasidion annosum (fr.) Bref. Phytopathologia Polonica 23: 81-83.
  • Napierała Filipiak A., Werner A., Mardarowicz M., Gawdzik J. 2002. Concentrations of terpenes in mycorrhizal roots of Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) seedlings grown in vitro. Acta Physiologiae Plantarum, 24(2): 137-143.
  • Napierała-Filipiak A., Werner A., Karolewski P. 2002. Content of phenolics in mycorrhizal roots of Scots pine grown in vitro. Acta Physiologiae Plantarum, 24(3): 243-247.
  • Werner A., Łakomy P. 2002. Intraspecific variation in Heterobasidion annosum (Fr.) Bref. for mortality rate on Pinus sylvestris L. and Picea abies (L.) Karst. seedlings grown in pure culture. Mycologia, 94(5): 856-861.
  • Werner A., Łakomy P. 2002. Host specialization of IS-group isolates of Heterobasidion annosum to Scots pine, Norway spruce and common fir in field inoculation experiments. Dendrobiology, 47: 59-68.
  • Werner A., Zadworny M., Idzikowska K. 2002. Interaction between Laccaria lacccata and Trichoderma virens in the rhizosphere of Pinus sylvestris grown in vitro- light and scanning electron microscopy. Mycorrhiza, 12: 139-145.
  • Werner A., Zadworny M. 2002. Interactions between Heterobasidion annosum and microfungi from arable and fallow land. Dendrobiology, 47: 51-58.
  • Werner A., Idzikowska K. 2001. Host/pathogen interactions between Scots pine seedlings (Pinus sylvestris L.) and the P-strains of Heterobasidion annosum (Fr.) Bref. in pure culture. Acta Societatis Botanicorum Poloniae 70(2): 119-132.
  • Werner A., Zadworny M. 2001. Protection of Scots pine seedlings (Pinus sylvestris L.) against Heterobasidion annosum (Fr.) Bref. by mycorrhizal fungi in greenhouse conditions. Bulletin of the Polish Academy of Sciences 49(3): 232-242.