Institute of Forest Ecology
Topic
Species and genetic diversity of the genus Lophodermium on pines
PhD. program
Year of admission
2025
Name of the supervisor
Mgr. Katarína Adamčíková, PhD.
Contact:
Receiving school
Fakulta ekológie a environmentalistiky TUZVO
Annotation
Pines are the second most important conifers grown in Slovakia. In both urban and forest environment, they are damaged by many serious fungal pathogens, several of which cause needle cast disease. The genus Lophodermium, which will be the subject of the dissertation thesis, is one of the agents causing needle cast of pines. The aim of the PhD. thesis will be to study the ecosystem, species and genetic diversity of the genus Lophodermium colonizing pine needles.
The study has a potential to obtain original results on Lophodermium species diversity and their host spectrum on pines growing in different types of environments. Within the selected fungal species, its genetic diversity will be determined. The work will consist of a field (collection of symptomatic plant material) and a laboratory part (isolation and cultivation of fungi from needles; morphological identification, molecular analyses). The proposed study belongs to basic research and is the part of the national project.
The study has a potential to obtain original results on Lophodermium species diversity and their host spectrum on pines growing in different types of environments. Within the selected fungal species, its genetic diversity will be determined. The work will consist of a field (collection of symptomatic plant material) and a laboratory part (isolation and cultivation of fungi from needles; morphological identification, molecular analyses). The proposed study belongs to basic research and is the part of the national project.