2020 Volume 61 Issue 1 Pages 3-18
Multiple functions have been attributed to forests covering 30% of the land area. Since diverse and sustainable forests are required for benefits from ecological services, degradation of forests due to pests and diseases is one of the most important problems that need to be solved. Since fungi occupy more than 3/4 of the pathogenic microorganisms of plant diseases, pathogenic fungal control is necessary for the healthy and sustainable forest management. In recent years, instead of conventional chemical control, there has been a shift towards integrated pest management methods to reduce the effects of environmental pollution and ecosystem disturbance. Unlike agricultural crops, trees, which are the main components of forests, are perennial and have large individual sizes, and are complex and difficult to manage due to their natural conditions. In order to establish a management method based on ecological control and low environmental load, it is necessary to understand ecological characteristics of pathogens. In this article, I would like to introduce studies on taxonomy and phylogeny, anatomical pathogeny, and molecular ecology conducted for the comprehensive understanding of ecological characteristics of tree pathogens.
