THE AUTHOR 



NEIL E. MARTIN came to Intemountain Station in 1966 from a 



Ph.D. graduate program in plant pathology at Washington State 

 University. He researched host-parasite interactions of blister 

 rust attacks on western white pine until 1973. Since then he 

 has primary responsibility for root pathogen research, with 

 additional studies in dwarf mistletoe and blister rust problems. 



Growth of Pinus monticola and Cronartium ribicola in culture 

 was sensitive to pectin compounds that may represent the products 

 of enzymatic actions on pine pectins. Host's cells succumbed at 

 lower concentrations of pectic compounds and were more sensitive 

 as the complexity of the pectin compounds decreased than were 

 the rust cells. The implications are that pectinase activities 

 are controlled through the physiological conditions of the host 

 cells and that the fungus can prolong the life of its host cells 

 by utilizing the simpler pectic compounds that are detrimental 

 to the host cells. 



RESEARCH SUMMARY 



CONTENTS 



INTRODUCTION 



Page 

 1 



MATERIALS AND METHODS 



1 



RESULTS 



2 



DISCUSSION 



3 



PUBLICATIONS CITED 



5 



