Lasiodiplodia theobromae is one of the most widely documented fungi associated with agarwood (Aquilaria spp.) resin formation, valued for its ability to create strong, localized biotic stress that accelerates resin deposition when properly controlled.
Agarwood-specific profile you can use for R&D, consortium design, farmer education, and regulatory-safe documentation.
1. Basic Profile
- Kingdom: Fungi
- Phylum: Ascomycota
- Growth form: Fast-growing, woody-tissue colonizer
- Pigmentation: Dark (melanized hyphae)
- Natural habitat: Tropical trees, deadwood, wounded stems
2. Role in Agarwood Formation
In Aquilaria trees, Lasiodiplodia theobromae functions as a high-intensity biotic inducer:
- Rapidly colonizes wounded xylem
- Causes cellular breakdown and necrosis
- Triggers strong defensive resin production
- Leads to dense, dark agarwood zones near inoculation points
👉 The fungus does not create resin itself — resin is produced by the tree in response to fungal stress.
3. Why It’s Used (and Why Control Matters)
Advantages
- Fast resin initiation
- Strong response even in younger trees
- Produces visibly dark resin early
Risks if Misused
- Excessive tissue death
- Poor resin spread (localized burn-out)
- Tree decline or mortality if overdosed
⚠️ For this reason, L. theobromae is never recommended as a single-strain inoculant.
4. Best Use Strategy (Industry Standard)
L. theobromae performs best as part of a balanced fungal consortium, where it is:
- Paired with slower fungi (e.g. Phaeoacremonium parasiticum)
- Buffered by abiotic primers (iron/mineral stress)
- Applied using DBH-based dosage and spacing
This allows:
Rapid initiation + controlled maturation
5. Functional Role in BarIno™ Systems (Suggested)
| Function | Role |
|---|---|
| Primary trigger | Fast stress & resin initiation |
| Placement | Inner xylem / early induction stage |
| Products | FusaPrime™, FusaBlaze™, FusaTrinity™ |
Tagline concept:
“Fast ignition of the resin response—controlled by design.”
6. Culturing Notes (High-Level)
- Grows aggressively on PDA, rice, and enriched substrates
- High contamination risk due to fast growth
- Requires strict inoculum control
- Best handled by trained technicians
(Operational parameters remain proprietary.)
7. Safety & Compliance
- Opportunistic plant pathogen
- Not edible, not for open release
- Should be deployed only under:
- Controlled inoculation protocols
- Contract Inoculation Services
- Regulatory-compliant operations
8. Farmer-Simplified Explanation
“This fungus helps the tree realize it is wounded. The tree responds by producing resin. Used carefully, it starts agarwood faster—but too much can damage the tree.”
9. How It Complements Other Fungi
| Fungus | Role |
|---|---|
| Fusarium spp. | Early signaling |
| Lasiodiplodia theobromae | Fast resin trigger |
| Phaeoacremonium parasiticum | Slow resin maturation |
| Abiotic minerals | Depth & stability |