Mechanical control of horse hoof fungus in Shasta-Kalate research and educational forest of Gorgan

Increasing distribution of horse hoof fungi leads to significant losses on broadleaf and coniferous trees. Finding the appropriate method to manage and control of these fungi due to their abundance in the northern forests is necessary. The present study was carried out for mechanical controlling of horse hoof fungi in an area about 80 ha of Shast-Kalate forest of Gorgan via transects sampling method. In this research, for evaluating the effect of mechanical control on horse hoof fungi, the caps of fungi were isolated from tree trunk during the growth season. Then, in the next growth season, all specification of infected trees (complete control and wound healing, regrowth of fungi, latex exiting and decaying the fungi establishment) were recorded. The results showed that the identified fungi were belonged to Polyporaceae and Ganodermaceae families. Also, the method was applied to a significant effect in reducing the frequency of horse hoof fungi found in the study area. As the further growths of fungi were not observed on the trunk of infected trees, but the only exception was the fungus of the Rigidoporus ulmarius family.