In their native habitat, all Amylostereum species have a minor importance as forest pests.
The infestation through wood wasps does not assume greater dimensions and is, compared with other pests, almost insignificant.
The infection rates are even lower during sexual reproduction via fruit bodies, as the wasps do not play a part in the process.
Furthermore, the Amylostereum fungi are alone often incapable of infesting healthy trees.
They thus mostly act as saprobiontics.
Pine monocultures in Australia, New Zealand, Africa and South America were shown to be susceptible to the Sirex woodwasp (Sirex noctilio), which was introduced there and which is associated with A. areolatum.
The wasp's phytotoxic secretion, its larvae and the fungus combine very effectively with each other and contribute to forest decline rates of up to 80%.
This is mainly owing to the poor water and nutrient supply of the trees, which can poorly reconcile the drought stress caused by infestation.
S. noctilio was detected in North America in the 2000s (decade); in Canada alone, the total economic loss to the forestry industry caused by the Sirex–Amylostereum symbiosis could be as high as $254 million per year for the next 20 years.

As a countermeasure, cultures of the nematode Deladenus siricidicola have been used as biological control to protect trees since the 1980s.
This parasite feeds on the mycelia of A. areolatum and is therefore a food competitor of wood wasp larvae.
Where S. noctilio larvae are present, the parasite infects and sterilizes the eggs of female wasps, causing them to be infertile.
These infertile females lay infected eggs into new trees and thus spread the nematode.
This control method has proven to be relatively successful to combat the Sirex–Amylostereum complex.
In the Southern Hemisphere, where the technique has been widely employed, reductions of parasitism levels of 70%–100% have been achieved.
In their native habitat, all Amylostereum species have a minor importance as forest pests. The infestation through wood wasps does not assume greater dimensions and is, compared with other pests, almost insignificant. The infection rates are even lower during sexual reproduction via fruit bodies, as the wasps do not play a part in the process. Furthermore, the Amylostereum fungi are alone often incapable of infesting healthy trees. They thus mostly act as saprobiontics. Pine monocultures in Australia, New Zealand, Africa and South America were shown to be susceptible to the Sirex woodwasp (Sirex noctilio), which was introduced there and which is associated with A. areolatum. The wasp's phytotoxic secretion, its larvae and the fungus combine very effectively with each other and contribute to forest decline rates of up to 80%. This is mainly owing to the poor water and nutrient supply of the trees, which can poorly reconcile the drought stress caused by infestation. S. noctilio was detected in North America in the 2000s (decade); in Canada alone, the total economic loss to the forestry industry caused by the Sirex–Amylostereum symbiosis could be as high as $254 million per year for the next 20 years.
As a countermeasure, cultures of the nematode Deladenus siricidicola have been used as biological control to protect trees since the 1980s. This parasite feeds on the mycelia of A. areolatum and is therefore a food competitor of wood wasp larvae. Where S. noctilio larvae are present, the parasite infects and sterilizes the eggs of female wasps, causing them to be infertile. These infertile females lay infected eggs into new trees and thus spread the nematode. This control method has proven to be relatively successful to combat the Sirex–Amylostereum complex. In the Southern Hemisphere, where the technique has been widely employed, reductions of parasitism levels of 70%–100% have been achieved.
Amylostereum