Abstract
SUBERIZED tissue has for a long time been regarded as among the most resistant of plant tissues to fungal decay. Cork can be virtually immune from breakdown1,2, and the production of cork barriers is a common host reaction to fungal infection3. Nevertheless, there can be little doubt that suberin must eventually be degraded by micro-organisms in the soil and litter; similarly, it is known that several fungi are capable of penetrating suberized barriers. Among these is Armillaria mellea, which was shown by Thomas4 to be able to penetrate directly through the bark of host roots. Although this penetration was largely mechanical, Thomas reported some degradation of the cork layers in advance of the fungal hyphae. This suggestion of enzymatic breakdown of the cork layers has been largely discounted by later authors5,6.
This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution
Access options
Subscribe to this journal
Receive 51 print issues and online access
$199.00 per year
only $3.90 per issue
Buy this article
- Purchase on Springer Link
- Instant access to full article PDF
Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Cooke, G. B., Cork and the Cork Tree, 24 (Pergamon, Oxford, 1961).
Cartwright, K. St. G., and Findlay, W. P. K., Decay of Timber and its Prevention, 264 (H.M.S.O., London, 2nd ed., 1958).
Marsh, R. W., and Walker, M. M., J. Pomol., 10, 71 (1932).
Thomas, H. E., J. Agric. Res., 48, 187 (1934).
Gaumann, E., Principles of Plant Infection, 44 (Crosby Lockwood, London, 1950).
Dickinson, S., Plant Pathology, 2, 217. Edit. by Horsfall and Dimond (Academic Press, New York, 1960).
Zetsche, F., Cholatnikov, C., and Scherz, K., Helv. Chim. Acta, 11, 272 (1928).
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
SWIFT, M. Loss of Suberin from Bark tissue rotted by Armillaria mellea. Nature 207, 436–437 (1965). https://doi.org/10.1038/207436a0
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/207436a0
This article is cited by
Comments
By submitting a comment you agree to abide by our Terms and Community Guidelines. If you find something abusive or that does not comply with our terms or guidelines please flag it as inappropriate.