Branches of Picea mariana and Picea rubens of various age classes were collected in New Brunswick, Canada. A 2 % MEA slant of Diaporthe maritima DAOM 628553 was macerated in sterile distilled deionized water (ddH₂O) and an aliquot was used to inoculate (5 % v/v) 15 × 250 mL Erlenmeyer flasks containing 50 mL of 2 % ME (Bacto, Becton, Dickinson and Company, Le Pont de Claix, France) broth. Flasks were incubated on a rotary shaker (100 rpm) for 1 wk in the dark at 25 °C. Cultures were macerated, individually transferred to Glaxo bottles containing 1 L of the same liquid medium, and incubated without agitation as described above for 7 wk.