Just like you and me, trees can get sick. This can happen in many different ways. One way trees become ill is through an infestation of insects or fungi. This is what happens to a certain type of tree called slash pine. In this case, though, it is not the actual tree which is affected, but the seeds. The scientists in this study decided to investigate why black seed rot occurs and what its effects are. In our earliest articles, like this one, the articles begin with a Discovery section, which is Topics: Active Forest Management, Black Seed Rot, Cones, Fungus, Germination, Seeds, Slash Pine.