A Biomolecular Method for the Detection of Wood Decay Fungi: A Focus on Tree Stability Assessment

The detection and identification of wood-rotting fungi in standing trees is crucial for the prediction of the severity and evolution of decay. In the case of very active root and butt rot fungi, an early identification method is important to establish the more appropriate failure risk classification. This work is aimed at reviewing the biomolecular methods recently developed to iden- tify, directly from wood, some of the most important and widespread decay fungi. The whole method is based on the use of taxon-specific primers combined in five multiplex polymerase chain reactions (PCRs). Three multiplex PCRs allow identifying Armillaria, Ganoderma, Hericium, Inonotus, Laetiporus sulphureus, Perenniporia fraxinea, Phellinus, Pleurotus, Schizophyllum, Stereum, Trametes, and Ustulina deusta. The two remaining multiplex PCRs were developed for subgeneric identification of fungi belonging to Ganoderma, Inonotus, and Phellinus. In validation assays, multiplex PCRs allowed successfully detecting fungi in 83% of wood samples collected from decay-affected trees. Thus, the methods proved to be efficient and specific for the diagnosis and the early detection of decay fungi on standing trees.