The unfolding story of

Teratosphaeria leaf blights in

Australian Plantations
Treena Burgess

Growth of Eucalyptus globulus

plantation industry
Prior to 1990 all eucalypt plantation holdings were
predominantly experimental
The main expansion of the estate boomed with the
expansion in Managed Investment Schemes (MIS) in the
late 1990s and 2000s.
Unfortunately, these schemes have proven not to be
financially sustainable and almost all the promoters are
now in Receivership or have been sold on.
there is now very little money to spare, employment is
minimal and the industry needs to recover
for most part problems are economic; high Australian
dollar and being left out of the governments carbon tax
and carbon farming legislation

South Africa
Tanzania
Spain
Portugal

Prez G, Slippers B, Wingfield MJ, Wingfield BD, Carnegie AJ, Burgess TI (2012) Cryptic species,
native populations and biological invasions by a eucalypt forest pathogen. Molecular Ecology 21:
4452-4471.

Tasmania
236,000 ha
Initially E. globulus was planted within the forest estate
and very quickly succumbed to T. nubilosa and T. cryptica
As plantings started on ex-farmland silviculture and
management better and there was a switch in most areas
from E. globulus to E. nitens
MLD is still the main issue in these plantations, but
provided they get a good start, it is no longer considered
a major problem
breeding program for selection of resistance to T.
nubilosa and T. cryptics

Western Australia
301,000 ha
E. globulus in Western Australia is effectively an exotic
species

as plantation estate expanded there was also an increase

in the number of fungal introductions
lots of concern about Teratosphaeria in the earlier days
and lots of research was conducted
MLD and TLD now the least of the concerns
major limitation in Western Australia is water

Neofusicoccum ribis

100

82

100

Teratosphaeria cryptica (prior to 1997)- EA

Teratosphaeria nubilosa (2000) EA pseudonubilosa

99 Teratosphaeria molleriana (2003)- EA

Teratosphaeria tasmaniensis (2005) - EA

100

Teratosphaeria suttoniae (2005)- EA

63
100
100

100

85

100
100

100

100

100
100

10 changes

Teratosphaeria suberosa (prior to 1997)- EA

60 Mycosphaerella africana

Mycosphaerella keniensis

99

100

Teratosphaeria mexicana (2003)- Mexica

Mycosphaerella ellipsoidea (2003)- EA

99
60

Teratosphaeria parva (2003)- EA

Mycosphaerella aurantia (2003) WA only

100

Mycosphaerella marksii (prior to 1997)- EA

Mycosphaerella punctiformis
Pseudocercospora paraguayensis
Pseudocercospora basiramifera

Pseudocercospora fori (2005) South Africa

Mycosphaerella lateralis (2001) EA
= Uwebraunia dekkeri

Green Triangle
171,000 ha
E. globulus is also the dominant species planted in this
region

E. globulus is endemic close by and MLD and TLD can on

occasion be very severe
Industry has persisted with E. globulus and improved site
selection and preparation and silviculture

sub-tropical forestry
83,000 ha NSW, 31,000 ha QLD
Many trials in northern NSW and Queensland for many
years

Corymbia selected for saw logs and in northern NSW

plantations established for timber production
plantations for pulp production started only in late 1990s
in southern and central Queensland
E. grandis, E. dunnii, E. camaldulensis, hybrids and clones
tested
first few years in drought and no disease
AND THEN

Teratosphaeria spp. with

Kirramyces-like spores (2002)

Several Teratosphaeria spp. had been described in
Australia, but had seldom caused significant disease
T. suttonii was known to cause a leaf blight of E. grandis
planted off-site in northern NSW
T. eucalypti was considered a major pathogen of various
eucalypt species in NZ
T. destructans was not known to be in Australia and
considered serious biosecurity threat (=A1)

Teratosphaeria destructans
Devastating eucalypt leaf pathogen first described by
Wingfield & Crous (1996) from 1-3 years old Eucalyptus
grandis in Sumatra, Indonesia.
Since then T. destructans has been reported from
nurseries and young plantations in Thailand and Vietnam in
2001
In 2004 we found T. destructans in China
Also reported from native E. urophylla in East Timor in
2001. Identification has been confirmed and this could be
the origin of this species.

CMW7773 Neofusicoccum ribis

100

45 isolates
ITS-EF-BT-CHS-ATP
Not a single bp difference

CMW13328 T. zuluensis
CMW7449 T. zuluensis

100

CMW3279 T. cryptica
CMW14457 T. toledana

74

CMW11588 T. molleriana

100

CMW4940 T. molleriana

71 CMW13704 T. molleriana
CMW11560 T. nubilosa

65

95 CMW17915
99 CMW11687
CMW17916

100

65

CMW17917

100
100

70

CCT3
SA12

100

CMW22484
MURU327

10 changes

T. suttonii

T. eucalypti

CMW17919-China
CMW19909-China
CMW19832-Indonesia
CMW17918-Indonesia
CMW22553-Indonesia
CMW15089-Vietnam
CMW15090-Vietnam
CMW15092-Vietnam
CMW16123-Thailand
CMW13337-Thailand
CMW16120-Thailand

T. destructans

45 isolates
7 microsatellite loci
5 monomorphic, 2 polymorphic
each with 3 alleles (6 possible haplotypes
All alleles and haplotypes in Indonesia

2004
2000
2001

1996

2001

Teratosphaeria destructans (2006)

First reports of disease are from Indonesia and based on

molecular data this is the probable source of all introductions in
South-East Asia and China.

Considered a major threat to biosecurity of Australias eucalypts

and productivity of plantations, but could it have originated in
Australia?

CMW7773 Neofusicoccum ribis

100
100

CMW13328 T. zuluensis

ITS-EF-BT-CHS-ATP

CMW7449 T. zuluensis
CMW3279 T. cryptica
CMW14457 T. toledana

74

CMW11588 T. molleriana

100

CMW4940 T. molleriana

71 CMW13704 T. molleriana
CMW11560 T. nubilosa

65

95 CMW17915
99 CMW11687
CMW17916

100

65 CMW17917

100

70
100
10 changes

CCT3
SA12
CMW22484
MURU327

T. eucalypti

T. epicoccoides

CMW17919-China
CMW19909-China
CMW19832-Indonesia
CMW17918-Indonesia
CMW22553-Indonesia
99
CMW15089-Vietnam
CMW15090-Vietnam
CMW15092-Vietnam
CMW16123-Thailand
100
CMW13337-Thailand
CMW16120-Thailand
MUCC452 - Australia
MUCC453 - Australia
100 MUCC454 - Australia
MUCC455 - Australia
MUCC456 - Australia

T. destructans

T. viscidus
(2006)

100

Neofusicoccum ribis CMW7773

Teratosphaeria zuluensis CMW13328
100
ITS-EF-BT
Teratosphaeria zuluensis CMW7449
Teratosphaeria cryptica CMW3279
Teratosphaeria nubilosa CMW11560
Teratosphaeria destructans CMW17919-CHN
Teratosphaeria destructans CMW17918-INDO
85 Teratosphaeria destructans CMW15089-VTN
Teratosphaeria destructans CMW16120-THAI
Teratosphaeria destructans DFR1168
Teratosphaeria destructans DFR1169
Teratosphaeria sp. 1 TIWI8
Teratosphaeria sp. 1 TIWIC3
1
Teratosphaeria sp. 1 TIWI15
97
Teratosphaeria sp. 1 TIWIC2
95
Teratosphaeria sp. 1 TIWI28
75
Teratosphaeria sp. 1 TIWID2
Teratosphaeria sp. 1 TIWID3
Teratosphaeria sp. 1 TIWIF1
Teratosphaeria sp. 2 B1d
Teratosphaeria sp. 2 B3a
Teratosphaeria sp. 2 B3b
Teratosphaeria sp. 2 B1
100
56
Teratosphaeria viscidus MUCC452
Teratosphaeria viscidus MUCC453
100
100 Teratosphaeria viscidus MUCC454
Teratosphaeria viscidus MUCC455
Teratosphaeria viscidus MUCC456
Teratosphaeria eucalypti MUCC433
63
Teratosphaeria eucalypti CMW11687
100 Teratosphaeria eucalypti CMW17915
Teratosphaeria eucalypti MUCC434
100 Teratosphaeria molleriana CMW11588
Teratosphaeria molleriana CMW4940
Teratosphaeria molleriana CMW13704
Teratosphaeria toledana CMW14457
Teratosphaeria epicoccoides CMW17920
Teratosphaeria epicoccoides MUCC327
Teratosphaeria epicoccoides MUCC424
Teratosphaeria epicoccoides MURU327

100

100

10 changes

Teratosphaeria leaf blight in

Australia (2008)
There is no commercial eucalypt plantations in Far North
Queensland and the Northern Territory where T.
destructans and T. viscidus are found.
There are commercial plantations in central and southern
QLD and northern NSW
Eucalypt plantations in sub-tropics have has many disease
problems and species selection very important
In taxa trials and plantations in the subtropics, Teratosphaeria leaf blight becoming a major
problem
What Teratosphaeria species are involved?

100

Neofusicoccum ribis CMW7773

100
Teratosphaeria zuluensis CMW13328
ITS-EF-BT-ATP
Teratosphaeria zuluensis CMW7449
Teratosphaeria cryptica CMW3279
Teratosphaeria nubilosa CMW11560
Teratosphaeria destructans CMW17919
94 Teratosphaeria destructans CMW17918
Teratosphaeria destructans CMW15089
100 Teratosphaeria destructans CMW16120
97
Teratosphaeria viscidus MUCC452
Teratosphaeria viscidus MUCC453
100
Teratosphaeria viscidus MUCC454
Teratosphaeria viscidus MUCC455
72
MUCC433
100
CMW11687

89
34

VIC6
MUCC434
GP11
QLD40T22
DC2.1
FNQ152
CMW17916

85 DC2.4

CMW17917

100

10 changes

NSW,
T.VIC,
eucalypti
TAS, NZ
NSW, VIC, TAS, NZ

TAS13

98
35

CMW17915

100 Teratosphaeria molleriana CMW11588

Teratosphaeria molleriana CMW4940
Teratosphaeria molleriana CMW13704
Teratosphaeria toledana CMW14457
Teratosphaeria suttonii CMW17920
Teratosphaeria suttonii MUCC327
Teratosphaeria suttonii MUCC424
Teratosphaeria suttonii MURU327

T. pseudoeucalypti

FNQ, C-QLD,
QLD S-QLD

ITS-EF-BT-ATP

I
H

J
G

Cairns

Townsville
E

Rockhampton

C
A

Brisbane
B
Coffs Harbour

Sydney
Adelaide

Melbourne

Hobart

Auckland
Auckland

100

Neofusicoccum ribis CMW7773

100
Teratosphaeria zuluensis CMW13328
ITS-EF-BT-ATP
Teratosphaeria zuluensis CMW7449
Teratosphaeria cryptica CMW3279
Teratosphaeria nubilosa CMW11560
Teratosphaeria destructans CMW17919
94 Teratosphaeria destructans CMW17918
Teratosphaeria destructans CMW15089
100 Teratosphaeria destructans CMW16120
97
Teratosphaeria viscidus MUCC452
Teratosphaeria viscidus MUCC453
100
Teratosphaeria viscidus MUCC454
Teratosphaeria viscidus MUCC455
72
MUCC433
100
CMW11687

89
34

CMW17915
VIC6
MUCC434
GP11
QLD40T22
DC2.1
FNQ152
CMW17916

35

85 DC2.4

CMW17917

100 Teratosphaeria molleriana CMW11588

Teratosphaeria molleriana CMW4940
Teratosphaeria molleriana CMW13704
Teratosphaeria toledana CMW14457

10 changes

NSW, VIC, TAS, NZ

TAS13

98

100

T. eucalypti

Teratosphaeria epicoccoides CMW17920

Teratosphaeria epicoccoides MUCC327
Teratosphaeria epicoccoides MUCC424
Teratosphaeria epicoccoides MURU327

T.
T.pseudoeucalypti
pseudoeucalypti

FNQ, C-QLD,
QLD S-QLD

Average crown damage index scores for 10 E. camaldulensis E.

globulus clones (black bar), 19-26 E. grandis E. camaldulensis
or E. camaldulensis E. grandis clones (dark grey bars), 7-24 E.
grandis E. urophylla or E. urophylla E. grandis clones (light
grey bars) and 5 E. grandis E. pellita or E. pellita E. grandis
clones (white bar) at three trial sites in Central Queensland.
Error bars are standard errors.

T. sp. 1
T. sp. 2
T. viscidus
T. eucalypti
T. pseudoeucalypti
T. epicoccoides

Conclusions
Teratosphaeria Leaf Disease (TLD) and Teratosphaeria
Leaf Blight (TLB) are serious forest pathogens that can
results in the death of trees
at the time of the epidemic in central Queensland there
was some evidence for resistance among hybrids, but as
the inoculum level increased all trees succumbed
the only possible control for this pathogen (group of
pathogens) is to breed for resistance