<br><font size=3 face="Times New Roman">I am responding to Russ Richardson's
post and forwarding this message to APWG since it involves an invasive
plant (<i>Microstegium vimineum, </i>Japanese stiltgrass; see the APWG
fact sheet at: <http://www.nps.gov/plants/alien/fact/mivi1.htm>)
that is being attacked by a fungus (apparently a <i>Bipolaris </i>species;
see: <http://aggie-horticulture.tamu.edu/archives/parsons/turf/publications/Bipolaris.html>)!!!!
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<br>
<br><font size=3 face="Times New Roman">The fungus is as tenacious as the
invasive plant (i.e., both can overwinter) and is taking a toll on the
stiltgrass, by reducing its presence. The fungus also attacks other non-native
warm season grasses (such as bentgrass) and native invasives (such as cheatgrass).
Too soon to tell what may come of this development. Will the fungus
keep stiltgrass from coming back into previously infected areas? What effect
will this fungus have on the other understory species, the natives (many
of which are medicinal or otherwise harvest for their non-timber forest
products)? I'm pretty sure I have seen it on black cohosh at the
MPWG field sites in George Washington Jefferson National Forest - started
seeing it maybe two years ago.</font>
<br>
<br><font size=3 face="Times New Roman">Sounds like that is just what Luke
Flory, of Indiana University, is looking at. Russ mentions an article
in press (perhaps this one: </font><font size=3 color=#111111 face="Times New Roman">Kleczewski,
N. and <b>S.L. Flory</b>. 2010. Leaf blight disease on the invasive grass
<i>Microstegium vimineum</i> (Japanese stiltgrass) caused by a <i>Bipolaris
</i>sp. Plant Disease. <i>In press. </i></font><font size=3 face="Times New Roman">).
According to the abstract (at: <http://www.lukeflory.com/publications>),
"Disease reduced seed head production by 40% compared to controls."</font>
<br>
<br><font size=3 face="Times New Roman">-Patricia</font>
<br>
<br><font size=3 face="Times New Roman">Note: I removed Russ's pictures
because the email was so large. I'm sure he'd be happy to send them to
you if you contact him directly. </font>
<br>
<br><font size=2 face="sans-serif">Patricia S. De Angelis, Ph.D.<br>
Botanist - Division of Scientific Authority<br>
Chair - Plant Conservation Alliance - Medicinal Plant Working Group<br>
US Fish & Wildlife Service<br>
4401 N. Fairfax Dr., Suite 110<br>
Arlington, VA 22203<br>
703-358-1708 x1753<br>
FAX: 703-358-2276<br>
<br>
Promoting sustainable use and conservation of our native medicinal plants.<br>
<www.nps.gov/plants/medicinal><br>
</font>
<br><font size=1 color=#800080 face="sans-serif">----- Forwarded by Patricia
De Angelis/ARL/R9/FWS/DOI on 06/03/2010 09:19 AM -----</font>
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<td width=40%><font size=1 face="sans-serif"><b>ForestRuss@aol.com</b>
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<br><font size=1 face="sans-serif">Sent by: mpwg-bounces@lists.plantconservation.org</font>
<p><font size=1 face="sans-serif">06/02/2010 11:39 PM</font>
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<div align=right><font size=1 face="sans-serif">To</font></div>
<td><font size=1 face="sans-serif">MPWG@lists.plantconservation.org</font>
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<td>
<div align=right><font size=1 face="sans-serif">cc</font></div>
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<div align=right><font size=1 face="sans-serif">Subject</font></div>
<td><font size=1 face="sans-serif">[MPWG] Japanese stiltgrass disease update
June 2 2010</font></table>
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<br><font size=2 face="Arial">MPWG:</font>
<br><font size=2 face="Arial"> </font>
<br><font size=2 face="Arial">The disease that was discovered to be killing
Japanese stiltgrass, Microstegium vimineum, in Calhoun County, West Virginia
during 2008 and 2009 has spread to new sites. The first signs of disease
this year was in scattered locations starting about May 7. </font>
<br><font size=2 face="Arial"> </font>
<br><font size=2 face="Arial">In areas where the disease was active last
fall there was limited germination of stiltgrass this spring and many plants
that have developed in those areas now show disease signs. </font>
<br><font size=2 face="Arial"> </font>
<br>
<br><font size=2 face="Arial">Two years ago this road was completely dominated
by stiltgrass that grew so tall and thick that all the water bars on the
road were obscured. This area was hit by the disease last fall as
the seed was starting to set. The dominant greenery in this photo
is black Cohosh and white aster. Nearly all stiltgrass present at
the site is diseased. Within 100 feet of this photo there is healthy
stiltgrass that is almost 18" tall. </font>
<br>
<br><font size=2 face="Arial"> PICTURE REMOVED</font>
<br><font size=2 face="Arial"> </font>
<br><font size=2 face="Arial">The following three photos were taken in
an abandoned field area that had become a stiltgrass savannah. The
site has scattered apple trees and deer had helped to spread the
stiltgrass across the hillside. This savannah covers more than fifteen
acres and showed no signs of disease in 2009.</font>
<br><font size=2 face="Arial"> </font>
<br><font size=2 face="Arial"> PICTURE REMOVED</font>
<br>
<br><font size=2 face="Arial">The trail in the foreground has a heavy cover
of sickly stiltgrass. For several hundred feet of this trail nearly
100% of the stiltgrass plants are covered with lesions.</font>
<br><font size=2 face="Arial"> </font>
<br><font size=2 face="Arial"> PICTURE REMOVED</font>
<br><font size=2 face="Arial"> </font>
<br><font size=2 face="Arial">In some areas the thatch from last year is
still easy to find because there is very little new growth for 2010.</font>
<br><font size=2 face="Arial"> </font>
<br><font size=2 face="Arial"> PICTURE REMOVED</font>
<br>
<br><font size=2 face="Arial">There are areas with no living stiltgrass
plants and the natives are taking off.</font>
<br><font size=2 face="Arial"> </font>
<br><font size=2 face="Arial"> PICTURE REMOVED</font>
<br>
<br><font size=2 face="Arial">It appears that the fungus killing stiltgrass
can survive a forest fire. In early April a forest fire burned over
20 acres of Crummies Creek including areas where I had photographed the
disease last year. Some Japanese stiltgrass seed survived the fire
and germinated in early May but now nearly all plants are showing disease
signs.</font>
<br><font size=2 face="Arial"> </font>
<br><font size=2 face="Arial">At this time no one has determined the vectors
for spread of the disease but a paper on some of the specifics of the "Bipolaris"
disease has recently been published by Luke Flory of Indiana University.</font>
<br><font size=2 face="Arial"> </font>
<br><font size=2 face="Arial">Sincerely,</font>
<br><font size=2 face="Arial"> </font>
<br><font size=2 face="Arial">Russ Richardson, Certified Forester</font>
<br><font size=2 face="Arial">Crummies Creek Tree Farm</font>
<br><font size=2 face="Arial">PO Box 207</font>
<br><font size=2 face="Arial">Arnoldsburg, WV 25234</font>
<br><font size=2 face="Arial"> </font>
<br><font size=2 face="Arial"> </font>
<br><font size=2 face="Arial"> </font><tt><font size=2><br>
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