Insect damage is often masked during periods of heat and drought in late summer. In fact, we often talk about damage from chinch bugs and sod webworms manifesting when temperatures cool and the rains come in late summer. The change in the weather causes the grass to “wake up” from summer dormancy. The insect damaged…
Trees are always under a variety of stresses due to the environment. The stress factors can range from nutrient deficiencies, storm damage, and even poor service practices. Under normal conditions, trees are fairly well equipped to handle these stresses and in most cases can recover. However, during prolonged drought conditions a tree’s resources are often…
Basil downy mildew was identified first in Minnesota in 2012. With the right weather conditions basil downy mildew can spread rapidly and result in complete yield loss. The pathogen that causes basil downy mildew (Peronospora belbahrii) is not able to survive MN’s winters. However, it can be reintroduced on infected seed or transplants or by…
Turf diseases are starting to break out all over lower Hudson valley. One parasite in particular named Dodder has made a sudden appearance this year on home landscapes and municipal environments. Only consisting of yellow twining stems that produce small clusters of white flowers, dodder doesn’t have any leaves or chlorophyll to produce its own…
Due to recent rains, mushrooms have been appearing in turf lawns. Mushrooms are usually Basidiomycete fungi that grow underground by means of a threadlike body called hyphae or mycelium. The mycelium of various fungi tends to grow through the soil and break down organic debris in soil. Fungi act as natural decomposers in our ecosystem. Without…
The Plant Diagnostic Laboratory has been producing many golf turf samples. They’ve seen anthracnose, summer patch, slime molds, take-all, Pythium root diseases, annual bluegrass weevils, black turfgrass, ataenius, and many other signs of wear and tear. Recently they had a sample of a mixed bent/Poa putting green turf with damage to both the annual bluegrass…
The American elm was once dominant on the landscape, an iconic symbol of the nation’s landscape, but has unfortunately succumbed to a fungal disease introduced from Europe in the 1900s. The graceful, large elm trees widely planted in the suburban landscape for its shade, tolerance of poor soil conditions and fast growth. However, in the…
Oak wilt is a tree disease affecting oak trees caused by the fungus Ceratocystic fagacearum. The disease has been found in 21 states causing the most damage in the midwest. It was first found in Wisconsin in 1944 where localized pockets of mortality were found; nearly half the oaks an area of less than…
Officials with the Idaho Department of Lands (IDL) are puzzled over a seemingly new disease affecting ponderosa pines (Pinus ponderosa) in the region. They are discouraging culling trees with discolored needles until they can determine the underlying cause of the disease; this may mean waiting until June when the ponderosa pines produce new needles. According…
While the previously known dangers of deforestation are already severe and somewhat grim; less carbon absorption, loss of habitat, biodiversity decreases etc. a new study indicates that it could also be exposing more people to deadly, infectious diseases like the Bubonic plague. While societies of the western world have largely forgotten about the “Black Death”,…
