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Root Rot Diagnosis in Ornamentals PDF
Root Rot Diagnosis in Ornamentals PDF
Many root rot diseases caused by always associated with drought stress. However,
Phytophthora spp. or Armillaria mellea can be infected trees with root rot-causing pathogens
managed by implementing cultural practices that display similar symptoms, to which homeowners
are adverse to the development of these patho- or inexperienced arborists respond mistakenly
gens. If the arborist develops a technique identi- with excessive watering to reverse the wilt.
fying the cause of the pathogen's invasion of the Following excessive irrigation, disease
tree/shrub, chances are great that the elimination progress accelerates to the degree that a plant
of these causes can slow down the tree's decline cannot be saved and rapid death of the plant
and prolong its life in the landscape. Most of the follows. Even though the future course of a tree
trees/shrubs planted in the California landscape infected with root rot-causing organisms is difficult
are introduced, and they require careful cultural to predict, the specialist is always asked to predict
and irrigation practices. If these practices are the future health and liability of an infected tree in
changed, root rot disease can take advantage of the landscape. An examination of the tree root-
nearly every stress that affects trees as "an op- crown, water sprouts on the trunk and limbs, foliar
portunist takes advantage of the slightest change symptoms, environmental factors, and recent
of circumstance in his favor, and A. mellea, does nearby construction activity will provide enough
this very well" (1). clues for creating a case history and for preparing
The material for this article was collected as a appropriate recommendations.
result of requests to diagnose various species of
diseased woody ornamentals displaying a change How to Create a Case History
in foliage appearance. A total of 86 trees/shrubs of Symptom expression varies in ornamentals
37different species was examined. In cases where infected with Phytophthora or Armillaria (2,3). In
I was not absolutely certain about the identity of developing a helpful case history, observation of
the causal fungus, infected tissues were submit- symptoms in the diseased plant is important. It is
ted for culturing to the Department of Plant Pa- equally important to identify the conditions that
thology, University of California at Berkeley. In all have contributed to the disease's development
instances the owner/manager of the property was (Table 1) in order to recommend appropriate or
interviewed. optimal treatment of the diseased tree. The initial
The collection of data began in the fall of 1985 procedure starts with a symptom analysis for
and continues in different landscape situations in which a diagnostic chart has been devised (Fig.
San Francisco Bay Area counties. This area 1).
provides a fascinating study site because of its This chart includes symptom expression de-
diversity. Several climatic zones and numerous scribed by Agrios (2) and Tattar (3) and is a
microclimates in which several hundred plant practical method in which evidence is weighed
species, ranging from subtropical to continental rather than logical conclusions drawn, before any
members, are planted as woody ornamentals. tissue is sent to a laboratory for culturing. After a
A second characteristic of this area is its dry, dozen or more woody plants are diagnosed by this
almost rainless growing season, as well as peri- method, only afew samples will require laboratory
odic severe water shortages during which irriga- culturing.
tion is reduced or terminated. In such situations The second step in improving diagnostic ac-
plants respond with wilted foliage that is almost curacy is to investigate factors that may relate to
Journal of Arboriculture 17(11): November 1991 295
New garden was installed around the tree, raised Catalpa bignonioides, Cedrus deodora, C. atlantica, Citrus sp.,
18
flower beds were built aroud the tree base Eucalyptus globulus, Fagus sylvatica, Ficus carica, Juniperus chinensis,
Malus sp., Pinus radiata, Quercus agrifolia, 0. lobata, Rhododendron,
Salix babylonica. Schinus molle, Taxus bacata
New driveway, deck, stone wall, utility line, etc., Acer saccharum, Ailanthus altissima, Fagus sylvatica, Quercus agrifolia,
12
were constructed Q. lobata, Q. palustris, Q. suber, Shinus molle
Grade was raised - root crown was buried Acacia baileyana, A. melanoxylon, Eucalyptus viminalis, Quercus
6
agrifolia, Q. douglasii, Q. lobata,
Rhododendrons or azaleas, or camellias were Prunus lauracerarus, Quercus agrifolia, Q. douglassi, Ficus carica
4
planted under the canopy
Chemical weed control program under the tree Acacia melanoxylon, Quercus agrifolia
3
drip line was initiated
Soil poorly drained and compacted around the Quercus agrifolia, Q. douglasii
2
root zone
New lawn was installed or the old one was Citrus sp., Quercus agrifolia, Q. lobata, Olea europaea
3
renovated
the onset of root rot due to stress or nonliving practice by eliminating the harmful practice that
agents. This investigation requires cooperation triggered the disease. The survey in the San
and skillful communication with the homeowner or Francisco Bay Area assigned root rot development
caretaker in three major areas: 1) depict what is to eight commonly occurring environmental
atypical in the landscape, 2) search for hidden changes (Table 1).
practices, and 3) avoid erroneous assumptions. It is not always easy to uncover pivotal clues
Managers of the landscape are often replaced unless the client is asked specific questions and
and even property ownership changes hands; an intense investigation is conducted. For example,
both significantly affect maintenance changes. the sprinkling system installed three years ago is
Tattar (3) expressed this issue best, "Shade trees history to the client, while for the arborist it might
are long-lived individuals in a rapidly changing represent an important change in the microenvi-
environment. The amount of stress placed upon a ronment. Clients are preoccupied with the most
tree is directly related to the rate of change of its recent symptoms and not with past events when
microenvironment." Therefore, an entire array of the plant appeared normal. A helpful diagnostic
questions should be asked or investigated to aid to convince the client that the decline indeed
identify these agents. The problem is to match the might have begun in previous growing seasons is
symptomatic tree to the appropriate management to check the annual shoot growth increments
296 Svihra: Diagnosing Root Rot
ROOT ROT
Yes Yes
Drop of Foliage
Yes No Yes
Sparse Foliage
No Yes
Yes
Shorter, Cupped and
Yellow Leaves
Yes Yes
Dieback of Twigs
and Branches
No
Yes
Yes
Wilted Leaves
Yes
Yes
Water soaking and bark White mycelial mats between
necrosis the bark and wood
Plant Tissue Culturing No
No
Required
Depressed canker Reddish-brown to black
"rhizomorphs = shoestrings"
Yes Yes
Phytophthora Armillaria
(comparing distances between terminal bud scale mates. At the beginning of the investigative pro-
scars) to find the year when poor growth began cess, it might not seem easy to identify manage-
and then relate it to an event (change), e.g., ment practices or implicate recent weather con-
drought, new construction, etc. Table 1 lists these ditions as a cause of the disease progression.
changes with the corresponding frequency of cases While some plant problems can be related to
and the plant species involved as recorded since sudden microenvironmental changes, most
1985. problems are influenced by conditions that oc-
The diagnostic chart combined with Table 1 curred in prior years. The greatest difficulty ex-
data can be applied by practitioners as an inte- perienced was with professional gardeners or
grated system that serves as a diagnostic man- landscape contractors who tended to deny en-
agement adviser not only in the arid western gaging in any suspect practice such as weed
states but also in a landscape with different cli- control, overfertilization, raised grade and espe-
Journal of Arboriculture 17(11): November 1991 297
Literature Cited
1. Wargo, M.P. 1980. Armillaria mellea: an opportunist. J.
Arboric. 6(10):276-278.
Fig. 2. Improperly irrigated Deodar cedar's trunk and root
2. Agrios, G.P. 1988. Plant Pathology. New York: Academic
crown area created conditions conducive to the devel-
Press. 688 pp.
opment of root rot.
3. Tattar, T. 1978. Diseases of Shade Trees. Academic Press,
New York. 361 pp.
cially overwatering. Tact and skill are needed in
phrasing questions.
With practice, the arborist should be able to Horticultural Advisor
relate the onset of root rot to specific conditions, University of California
such as a sprinkler head throwing water on the Cooperative Extension
tree trunk followed by water collection at the tree 1682 Novato Blvd., Suite 150B
base (Fig. 2). If root rot is related to such a specific Novato, Ca 94947