Investigations on mycoviruses in the pine needle blight fungus Dothistroma septosporum and their effects on host virulence

Dothistroma Needle Blight (DNB) is an economically significant disease of conifers, affecting at least eighty-two species of pine worldwide. Caused by Dothistroma septosporum, it has a destructive effect on pine trees, causing defoliation, loss of yield and, in extreme cases, tree death. The aim of the project is to identify the mycoviruses present in D. septosporum isolates across the UK and assess their impact on fungal pathogenicity. The proposed project will build upon the research undertaken to date.