- Author: Karey Windbiel-Rojas
Ever heard of Bot canker? "Bot" stands for Botryosphaeria which is a plant disease that results in cankers of trees and other woody plants.
This fungal disease can be worse under drought conditions when trees are stressed. Early symptoms like yellowing leaves and a sparse canopy could be mistaken for other issues like Verticillium wilt and Phytophthora root rot. After cankers form on branches and the trunk, the dark wedge-shaped stains inside the wood can help you confirm the cause as Botryosphaeria canker.
Managing Bot canker relies on keeping plants healthy so that they can resist the infection. When planting, choose plants that are well-suited for the location, including soil type and sunlight. Under drought conditions, trees may need supplemental irrigation to stay healthy.
You can read more in the new UC ANR publication Pest Notes: Botryosphaeria Canker by Jim Downer, UC Cooperative Extension Environmental Horticulture Advisor for Ventura County, and plant pathologists Dee Vega, Cal Poly Pomona and Themis Michailides, Kearney Agricultural Research and Extension Center. This free publication has more diagnostic tips and information on management of this disease.
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(Credit: Jack Kelly Clark)
Symptoms of anthracnose vary by plant host and weather conditions. High humidity and dense canopies can exacerbate this common disease. Management relies on planting resistant cultivars of landscape plants along with careful maintenance of susceptible cultivars, such as pruning and removal of fallen leaves and twigs.
Authors Jim Downer (UCCE Ventura County), Steven Swain (UCCE Marin County), and Amanda Crump (UC Davis Plant Sciences) recently revised Pest Notes: Anthracnose which includes a list of anthracnose-resistant trees as well as more information about the life cycle of Anthracnose and how it spreads, and an updated section on chemical control.
What is Armillaria Root Rot?
Armillaria root rot is a severe fungal disease that affects trees, woody plants, and some herbaceous plants including palms and succulents.
Also known as oak root fungus, Armillaria root rot can rapidly kill trees and presents a challenge to management since infected woody roots can persist for years underground. No plants are completely immune to Armillaria root rot, so prevention is key. Deeply planted trees are often more susceptible to this disease.
The distinctive “honey mushrooms” growing from the base of a tree signals an infection, but they may not always be present. Other visible symptoms include flat cankers on the trunk, wilting, and canopy thinning.
In UC IPM's new publication Pest Notes: Armillaria Root Rot, UCCE Advisors Jim Downer and Igor Lacan provide research-based techniques for prevention and management of this common disease of landscape trees and plants, discuss the life cycle of the fungus and damage to the host plants, and include color photographs to aid in identification.
You can browse the full list of resources on invertebrate pests, diseases, weeds, vertebrate pests, and management methods on the UC IPM website.
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- Author: Elaine Lander
Landscape trees provide welcome shade, fruit, homes for wildlife, and even a place for kids to climb. But if the wood is damaged, disease-causing fungi can infect the tree. A number of fungal diseases decay wood in both tree branches and trunks, weakening and sometimes killing the tree. Wood decay can be hazardous when infected branches and trunks fall.
For more information, see UC IPM's Pest Notes: Wood Decay Fungi in the Landscape, recently updated by A. James Downer, University of California Cooperative Extension Advisor, Ventura County and Edward J. Perry, UC Cooperative Extension (retired), Stanislaus County. This publication has been expanded to include three new wood decay diseases with color photographs, more information about damage and infection, plus additional management tips.
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