Cystospora Canker
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Cytospora Canker
.jpg) Cystospora Canker is also know as leucostoma canker, this fungus can be a serious problem on trees.Susceptible Plants- include a wide range of woody plants. Some of the most susceptible trees include, some fruits such as peaches, apples, plums, pears, as well as spruces, maples, poplars and willows. Symptoms- Cytospora canker is a fungal infection occurring on the trunk and lower branches that usually enters through wounds in the tree. New shoots turn yellow, wilt and die back..Twigs develop brownish-black areas around winter-killed buds or scarred areas on the bark. By early summer, a gummy substance appears, and later the bark separates from the wood. The cankers grow larger every year, and are most conspicuous on the main trunk or scaffold branches. In Spruces and other conifers Cytospora cankers girdle the branch, disrupting the flow of water and nutrients, which causes dieback of the branch from the point of infection outward. Copious amounts of resin may exude from the cankers, run down the bark, and harden into a bluish-white cracked crust.
Prevention and Control- Plant resistant cultivars when available. Vigorously growing tress are less susceptible to cytospora canker. Prune out infected branches during dry weather, disinfect your pruning equipment between cuts. Avoid making unnecessary wounds in the bark which can provide an entry for the fungus.
After pruning you can use a product called Bonide Pruning Sealer For Trees/Shrubs/Roses, a protective dressing compound to be used after pruning, grafting, for torn bark or other damage. It sets quickly and seals the wound. It is Brown to blend with tree bark. Aersol; contains an antiseptic and a sealant to kill and keep out infections and insects. It Seals wounds on fruit trees, ornamental trees, shrubs and roses. On stone fruits it is particularly important to avoid winter damage, which can be caused by fertilizing the trees late in the season. Trees suffering from drought stress and low fertility are more susceptible to this disease, so provide adequate water and fertilizer. Water the entire root zone deeply- 1 1/2 times farther than the branches extend. Control insects and mites--especially spruce gall adelgids and spider mites--to prevent Fungicidal Control- There are no effective products to control cytospora canker disease.
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