Dr XuDong Zhou

Academic Staff

Research Interests

Senior Research Fellow, FABI, University of Pretoria
Professor & Assistant Director, China Eucalypts Research Centre (CERC)
Thomson ResearcherID Profile
Scopus Author ID

A. Association of Bark Beetles & Sapstain Fungi

Bark beetles (Coleoptera: Scolytinae) commonly infest conifers and are important forest insects. They also live in a close association with Ophiostomatoid fungi, mainly including species of Ceratocystis, Ophiostoma, Grosmannia, Ceratocystiopsis, and their asexual states. Several ophiostomatoid species are severe plant pathogens, and many are sapstain agents. Understanding the association between bark beetles and their associated fungi is, therefore, interesting, complicated, and economically important.

I have been enjoying working on this group of fascinating fungi associated with bark beetles in the genera such as Dendroctonus, Dryocoetes, Hylastes, Hylurgops, Hylurgus, Ips, Orthotomicus, and Tomicus, with colleagues from Austria, Australia, Cuba, Japan, Morocco, Norway, France, Mexico, South Korea, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, and USA. A number of species new to science have been or will be described, which will greatly contribute to a better understanding of this group of fungi. We also had the privilege to have conducted the most comprehensive survey during the period of 2001-2004 on Ophiostomatoid fungi associated with conifer-infesting bark beetles from China, which was co-funded by DST (NRF) of SA, and MST of China.

B. Global movement of forest fungi

Population structure generally refers to the amount and distribution of genetic variation within and between populations. Fungal populations with higher levels of genetic variation are likely to adapt more rapidly to fungicides or resistant hosts. Understanding population structure and movement of pathogens and pests are, therefore, important for effective disease and pest management.

Ophiostoma ips, the tree pathogen and sapstain agent, is a haploid ascomycete commonly associated with various bark beetles. In my study, populations of this fungus both from native and non-native ranges were collected from various parts of the world. SSR markers were used to examine the structure of populations. Through this, questions such as host specificity, reproductive behavior, the potential origin, and spread patterns of O. ips, together with its insect vectors, could be addressed.

C. Eucalypt protection programme in China (CFEPP)

Native forest ecosystems in China have been strictly protected from logging, and Eucalypt plantations have been established to meet the needs of the rapidly growing national economy. Presently, in excess of 1.7 million hectares of Eucalypt trees with very limited clones chosen have been planted in South China. However, very little is known on eucalypt plantation diseases in China. It is no doubt that there is a great need on this in China for sustainable development of eucalypt plantations there.

I, therefore, decided to take a joint position both at University of Pretoria, and China Eucalypts Research Centre (CERC) since 2006. With the support of Prof. Mike Wingfield and Prof. YaoJian Xie, we launched the programme entitled CERC-FABI Eucalypt Protection Programme (CFEPP), focusing on disease and pest problems on eucalypt plantations in China. Currently we have secured the funding from DST (NRF) of SA, MST of China, and Chinese Academy of Forestry (CAF) to do the work. In the following years, in addition to my favourite Ophiostomatoid fungi, Ill spend more time on this fascinating programme.

Publications

Chen SF, Gryzenhout M, Roux J, Xie YJ, Wingfield MJ, Zhou XD. 2010. Identification and Pathogenicity of Chrysoporthe cubensis on Eucalyptus and Syzygium spp. in South China. Plant Disease 94, 1143-1150.

Grobbelaar JW, de Beer ZW, Bloomer P, Wingfield MJ, Zhou XD, Wingfield BD, 2010. Discovery of Ophiostoma tsotsi on Eucalyptus wood chips in China. Mycoscience (in press) DOI:10.1007/s10267-010-0081-4.

Lombard L, Zhou XD, Crous PW, Wingfield BD, Wingfield MJ, 2010. Calonectria species associated with cutting rot of Eucalyptus. Persoonia 24, 1-11.

Paciura D, de Beer ZW, Jacobs K, Zhou XD, Ye H, Wingfield MJ, 2010. Eight new Leptographium species associated with tree-infesting bark beetles in China. Persoonia 25, 94-108.

Paciura D, Zhou XD, De Beer ZW,Jacobs,Ye H, Wingfield MJ. 2010. Characterisation of synnematous bark beetle-associated fungi from China,including Graphium carbonarium sp. nov. Fungal Diversity 40, 75-88.

Min Lu, Zhou XD, de Beer ZW, Wingfield MJ, Sun J-H, 2009. Ophiostomatoid fungi associated with the invasive pine-infesting bark beetle, Dendroctonus valens, in China. Fungal Diversity 38, 133-145.

Yamaoka Y, Masuya H, Chung W-H, Goto H, To-Anun C, Tokumasu S, Zhou X, Wingfield MJ, 2008. The teleomorph of Leptographium yunnanense, discovered in crosses among isolates from Thailand, China, and Japan. Mycoscience 49(4), 233-240.

Zhou XD, Jacobs K, Kirisits T, Chhetri DB, Wingfield MJ, 2008. Leptographium bhutanense sp. nov., associated with the root collar weevil Hylobitelus chenkupdorjii on Pinus wallichiana in Bhutan. Persoonia 21, 1-8.

Zhou XD, Xie YJ, Chen SF, Wingfield MJ, 2008. Diseases of eucalypt plantations in China: challenges and opportunities. Fungal Diversity 32, 1-7.

Romon P, Zhou XD, Iturrondobeitia JC, Wingfield MJ, Goldarazena A, 2007. Ophiostoma species (Ascomycetes: Ophiostomatales) associated with bark beetles (Coleoptera: Scolytinae) colonizing Pinus radiata in northern Spain. Canadian Journal of Microbiology 53(6), 756-767.

Zhou X, Burgess TI, De Beer ZW, Lieutier F, Yart A, Klepzig K, Carnegie A, Portales JM, 2007. High intercontinental migration rates and population admixture in the sapstain fungus Ophiostoma ips. Molecular Ecology 16(1), 89-99.

Zhou XD, De Beer ZW, Xie Y, Pegg GS, Wingfield MJ, 2007. DNA-based identification of Quambalaria pitereka causing severe leaf blight of Corymbia citriodora in China. Fungal Diversity 25, 245-254.

Zhou XD, De Beer ZW, Wingfield MJ, 2006. DNA sequence comparisons of Ophiostoma spp., including Ophiostoma aurorae sp. nov., associated with bark beetles in South Africa. Studies in Mycology 55, 269-277.

Kim JJ, Lim YW, Breuil C, Wingfield MJ, Zhou XD, Kim GH, 2005. A new Leptographium species associated with Tomicus piniperda infesting pine logs in Korea. Mycological Research 109(3), 275-284.

Zhou XD, De Beer ZW, Ahumada R, Wingfield BD, Wingfield MJ, 2004. Ophiostoma and Ceratocystiopsis spp. associated with two pine-infesting bark beetles in Chile. Fungal Diversity 15, 261-274.

Zhou XD, De Beer ZW, Cibrian D, Wingfield BD, Wingfield MJ, 2004. Characterization of Ophiostoma species associated with pine bark beetles from Mexico, including O. pulvinisporum sp. nov. Mycological Research 108(6), 690-698.

Zhou XD, De Beer ZW, Harrington TC, McNew D, Kirisits T, Wingfield MJ, 2004. Epitypification of Ophiostoma galeiformis and phylogeny of species in the O. galeiformis complex. Mycologia 96(6), 1306-1315.

Zhou XD, Burgess T, De Beer ZW, Wingfield BD, Wingfield MJ, 2002. Development of polymorphic microsatellite markers for the tree pathogen and sapstain agent, Ophiostoma ips. Molecular Ecology Notes 2(3), 309-312.

Zhou XD, De Beer ZW, Wingfield BD, Wingfield MJ, 2002. Infection sequence and pathogenicity of Ophiostoma ips, Leptographium serpens and L. lundbergii to pines in South Africa. Fungal Diversity 10, 229-240.

Wingfield MJ, Slippers B, Zhou XD, de Beer ZW, Govender P, Wingfield BD, 2001. Global spread of insect-associated fungi on exotic plantation pines. IUFRO World Series 11, 107-114.

Zhou XD, De Beer ZW, Wingfield BD, Wingfield MJ, 2001. Ophiostomatoid fungi associated with three pine-infesting bark beetles in South Africa. Sydowia 53(2), 290-300.

Zhou XD, Jacobs K, Morelet M, Ye H, Lieutier F, Wingfield MJ, 2000. A new Leptographium species associated with Tomicus piniperda in South Western China. Mycoscience 41, 573-578.