Beech bark disease has been causing mortality of American and European beech (Fagus grandifolia and Fagus sylvatica, respectively) trees since its discovery prior to 1849 in Europe, although until 1914 beech scale was solely being blamed. We now know that the cause is a combination of scale damage and fungal infection. Beech bark disease is…
Disease Details First described in the 1990s in the United Kingdom, boxwood blight, was not officially identified until 2002 in New Zealand. The fungus that causes this disease, was itself a newly identified species; named Cylindricladium pseduonaviculatum by finders in New Zealand while also being called C. buxicola when found in the UK. The two names…
The University of Massachusetts at Amherst’s Stockbridge School of Agriculture is currently undertaking research into a system which would aid in predicting and managing Phytophthora outbreaks using real-time PCR (Polymerase Chain Reaction-a biochemical technology in molecular biology used to amplify a single or a few copies of a piece of DNA across several orders of…
Pathogenic Problem Currently found in nearly all of the world’s coffee growing regions, Hemileia vestatrix is a fungal pathogen causing the disease coffee rust which is devastating central American farms. This disease has been verified on Coffee arabica and Coffee canephora, arabica and robusta coffee; two of the most economically important beans, but may also…
Disease Distinction Late blight was first identified in the United States in 1842, but is most famous for its role in the Irish potato famine of the mid 19th century. Since that time it has been considered the most destructive disease to affect agricultural non-cereal crops. Late blight is caused by Phytophthora infestans, an organism…
Infection Imposition Over the last decade the mortality of black walnut trees has increased in many states. Thousand Canker Disease (TCD) is the result of a tiny bark beetle which burrows in the bark and creates large and multitudinous galleries, making these trees susceptible to fungal disease and canker formation by creating an entry point…
Infection Imposition Bacterial Leaf Scorch (BLS) is a chronic, infectious tree disease caused by the xylem-limited bacterium Xylella fastidiosa. It is transmitted by xylem feeding insects and colonizes the water transmitting tissue. Similar to the effects of Dutch elm disease it will physically clog the xylem, impairing the trees ability to conduct water from roots to crown.…
Disease Diagnosis Dutch elm disease (DED) is one of the most destructive diseases affecting shade trees in the United States today. This disease is caused by the fungus Ophiostoma ulmi, and vectored via either European or native elm bark beetles. It has also been found to spread from plant to plant through root grafts among adjacent trees. Affecting…
Current Conditions The last couple of weeks in June were dry across the region, receiving only a fraction (0.05 inches) of the average expected rainfall for the month. July began with a couple of downpours and thunderstorms across the region as we experienced the outskirts of Hurricane Arthur. Daytime high temperatures have been seasonal, with…
Current Conditions Weather for the middle of June has actually been quite pleasant and mild, mostly dry with humidity rising and a couple of fronts coming through in the last couple of days. Most of the region is experiencing near-drought like conditions with less than an inch of accumulated rainfall, there were localized thunderstorms and showers,…
