one-third of the sheesham trees, Dalbergia , have been damaged by a fungi attack in the hills of Himachal Pradesh. The fungi, genoderma lucidum and fusarium oxyssporum, have also begun to effect Tunni, a timber species in the lower belt of Himachal Pradesh.
According to a survey conducted by scientists at the Y S Parmar University of Horticulture and Forestry, Punjab, 30 per cent of the sheesham plantations have been completely damaged. The genoderma root rot had been afflicting khair trees ( acacia catechu ) in the past but the team found the disease affecting sheesham trees for the first time. Sheesham yields valuable timber, suited for woodcarving and making furniture. It is known for its propensity to reclaim wasteland and convert them into valuable plantation areas.
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