CURRENT STATUS OF SAP EXUDATION DISEASE CAUSED BY Ceratocystis fimbriata ON Erythrophleum fordii TREES AT THE VA TEMPLE, HANOI

Abstract

Va Temple is a national historical and cultural relic site, Son Tay town, Hanoi city, is a sacred religious site with an Erythrophleum fordii population including 165 trees counted for trees with diameter greater than 20 cm. Many trees in this population are infected by Ceratocystis fimbriata fungus causing sap exudation disease (Ceratocystis blight). Last year, 6 large diameter trees were died and cut down in September 2023. However, many living trees suffer from the disease and human inappropriate activities have made the disease worse. The disease incidence of the population is 36.4%. The E. fordii population at the Va Temple has 40 trees affected by the trails, 10 trees affected by the paved courtyards and 10 trees whose bases are surrounded by businesses tents. The affected trees have very high disease incidence and disease severity, 42.8 - 100% and 55.5 - 100% respectively compared to unaffected trees. The results of this study show that there is a need for effective management solutions minimising human inappropriate activities to preserve the E. fordii population at the Va Temple.