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Abstract
Loblolly pine forest managers in the southeast United States face growing challenges from fungal disease systems. Pitch canker, caused by Fusarium circinatum, is a disease that causes losses in both plantations and nurseries worldwide. Because outbreaks are impossible to suppress, management relies on prevention or early response. Better tools are needed to rapidly detect this disease to guide management and reduce damage. Additionally, needle cast outbreaks, previously considered a secondary issue on loblolly pine, are increasing in severity. The causal agents of the outbreaks are unknown, and a survey of fungi associated with symptomatic tissue is needed to better understand the disease. Our research uses emerging technologies to address these separate threats. In the first study a loop-mediated isothermal amplification assay is designed to detect F. circinatum. In the second study the loblolly pine foliage afflicted by needle cast is surveyed for pathogenic fungi using targeted diagnostics and DNA metabarcoding.