THE INFLUENCE OF MISTLETOE (VISCUM ALBUM SSP. ABIETIS /WIESB./ ABROMEIT) ON THE BIOMASS OF SILVER FIR (ABIES ALBA MILL.) NEEDLES

Obična jela (Abies alba) u Bosni i Hercegovini je, s aspekta zdravstvenog stanja, trenutno najugroženija od bijele imele (Viscum album ssp. abietis). Gotovo da i nema sastojina obične jele koje ne trpe od ovog poluparazita. U ovom radu praćen je utjecaj ove cvjetnice na smanjenje prirasta i vitalnosti obične jele preko biomase dvogodišnjih iglica. Rezultati pokazuju postojanje statistički značajnih razlika u biomasi iglica obične jele sa grana na kojima se nalaze grmići imele u odnosu na one na kojima oni nisu prisutni. Jaka zaraženost stabala obične jele rezultira smanjenim vitalitetom nakon čega ona postaju podložna napadu sekundarnih štetnika.From the aspect of its health status, Silver fir (Abies alba) in Bosnia and Herzegovina is currently most threatened by white mistletoe (Viscum album ssp. abietis). There are almost no silver fir stands that do not suffer from this semi-parasite. In this study we monitored the influence of this flowering plant on the decrease of growth and vitality through biomass of two-year old silver fir needles. The results indicated the existence of significant differences in fir needle mass originating from the branches bearing mistletoe bushes, compared to mistletoe- free branches. High infectivity of fir trees by mistletoe results in their decreased vitality, making them susceptible to attacks of secondary pathogens and pests