University of Minnesota researchers are studying the use of fungi as a tool to control invasive buckthorn, a problematic species that crowds out native plants and persistently degrades forests in the Midwest and Northeast.
Currently, the best control for common and glossy buckthorn is chemical herbicides, which are not always appropriate for ecologically sensitive sites. The research team set out to develop a new option to control common buckthorn using a fungal pathogen.
Funding for this project was provided by the University of Minnesota's Minnesota Invasive Terrestrial Plants and Pests Center, supported by the Minnesota Environment and Natural Resources Trust Fund as recommended by the Legislative-Citizen Commission on Minnesota Resources.
New research, recently published in Forests, reports the findings of fungi collected from dying buckthorn at 19 sites across Minnesota and Wisconsin.
They found:
- 120 fungal species were collected from dying buckthorn.
- 46 of those species are known to be canker or root-rot pathogens of woody plants.
- Studies are underway to evaluate these 46 species for their ability to cause disease when inoculated into healthy common buckthorn. The researchers plan to identify the most pathogenic species.
"Our survey of dying buckthorn reveals a considerable diversity of naturally occurring fungi associated with buckthorn decline," said lead author Ryan Franke, a graduate student in the College of Food, Agricultural and Natural Resource Sciences. "This research is the important first step in developing a fungal-based control, or mycoherbicide, for invasive common buckthorn."
Future testing and larger field studies will demonstrate whether these fungi can be strategically used to control populations of invasive common buckhorn in Minnesota.
About the Minnesota Invasive Terrestrial Plants and Pests Center
The Minnesota Invasive Terrestrial Plants and Pests Center was founded by the Minnesota Legislature to research the prevention, detection and control of terrestrial invasive species. MITPPC researchers use transformative science to prevent and minimize the threats posed by land-based invasive plants, pathogens, and pests. Founded in 2015, MITPPC is the only research center of its kind in the country, and the center's work to protect the state's native prairies, forests, wetlands, and agricultural resources benefits all of Minnesota and beyond. MITPPC receives program support from the Minnesota Environment and Natural Resources Trust Fund as recommended by the Legislative-Citizen Commission on Minnesota Resources. Learn more at mitppc.umn.edu.
About the College of Food, Agricultural and Natural Resource Sciences
The University of Minnesota's College of Food, Agricultural and Natural Resource Sciences strives to inspire minds, nourish people, and sustainably enhance the natural environment. CFANS has a legacy of innovation, bringing discoveries to life through science and educating the next generation of leaders. Every day, students, faculty, and researchers use science to address the grand challenges of the world today and in the future. CFANS offers an unparalleled expanse of experiential learning opportunities for students and the community, with 12 academic departments, 10 research and outreach centers across the state, the Minnesota Landscape Arboretum, the Bell Museum, and dozens of interdisciplinary centers. Learn more at cfans.umn.edu.
