DEPARTMENT OF PLANT PATHOLOGY Introduction ......Fire blight.Fire blight is a bacterial disease that...

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Introduction Disease Management Prevention is the key to disease management in the home garden. There are several disease management options for the home apple grower that have minimal impact on the growing environment yet help to maintain a healthy crop. Creating an optimal growing environment for apples will minimize plant stress, which in turn will reduce plant disease susceptibility and ultimately improve crop yield and the aesthetics of the planting. Several synthetic chemicals and natural products (also called biopesticides) are available to aid in the management of plant diseases, but they should always be used in conjunction with cultural practices intended to modify the environment to make it less conducive to disease development. Site Selection and Preparation. The most important management decision is selecting where to plant your apple trees. Pre-existing pathogens (fungi, bacteria, virus, and nematodes) can infect new trees, causing replant disease (gradual tree decline and lack of vigor). Before planting new trees into a site previously planted with apples, remove as many of the old roots as possible. Some crabapple, juniper, and cedar varieties are a source of important fungi that cause disease in apples. When selecting a location for your apple trees consider planting the trees up wind of any crabapple, juniper or cedar trees that you may have in your yard. Choose a sunny (6 to 8 hours of sunlight per day), well-drained location with a slight southern facing slope. Soil is the foundation for healthy and productive trees. Soil temperature, moisture, pH and fertility all influence a soil pathogen’s ability to survive and colonize plants. Apples will grow in a wide range of soil types but grow best in sandy loam, loam, or silt loam soils. Ideal soil pH for apples is 6.0-7.0. Have your soil tested annually to determine the pH, salts, nutrients and organic matter levels, and water holding capacity. There is probably nothing more frustrating for a home gardener than to see the fruits of his or her labors lost to diseases and other pests. Diseases occur when environmental conditions are suitable for pathogens to attack the host plant. Some pathogens attack a wide variety of plants, whereas others attack only specific plants. Additionally, some pathogens can attack all plant parts, whereas others attack only selected tissues (i.e. flowers, fruit, roots etc.). Many types of organisms cause infectious diseases of plants, but the five major groups of plant pathogens are the fungi, water molds, bacteria, viruses and nematodes. Adverse environmental conditions also can cause disease-like symptoms on plants; referred to as disorders. These include improper soil pH, nutrient deficiencies and toxicities, soil compaction, excess water, herbicide damage and more. Plants weakened by adverse environmental conditions may be further predisposed to attack by pathogens. Successful disease management begins with accurate identification of the cause of the problem. Knowing the common diseases of individual crops aids greatly in disease identification and management. Many diseases are readily identified based on characteristic signs (observation of the pathogen itself) and symptoms (observation of damage to the plant) of disease. The identification of other diseases requires microscopic examination of diseased tissues or even more sophisticated laboratory techniques, which are available through the C. Wayne Ellett Plant & Pest Diagnostic Clinic, Columbus OH. PP Series No. 153 DEPARTMENT OF PLANT PATHOLOGY

Transcript of DEPARTMENT OF PLANT PATHOLOGY Introduction ......Fire blight.Fire blight is a bacterial disease that...

Page 1: DEPARTMENT OF PLANT PATHOLOGY Introduction ......Fire blight.Fire blight is a bacterial disease that can eventually kill a tree if the disease is not controlled. Fortunately, this

Introduction DiseaseManagementPreventionisthekeytodiseasemanagementinthehomegarden.Thereareseveraldiseasemanagementoptionsforthehomeapplegrowerthathaveminimalimpactonthegrowingenvironmentyethelptomaintainahealthycrop.Creatinganoptimalgrowingenvironmentforappleswillminimizeplantstress,whichinturnwillreduceplantdiseasesusceptibilityandultimatelyimprovecropyieldandtheaestheticsoftheplanting.

Severalsyntheticchemicalsandnaturalproducts(alsocalledbiopesticides)areavailabletoaidinthemanagementofplantdiseases,buttheyshouldalwaysbeusedinconjunctionwithculturalpracticesintendedtomodifytheenvironmenttomakeitlessconducivetodiseasedevelopment.

SiteSelectionandPreparation.Themostimportantmanagementdecisionisselectingwheretoplantyourappletrees.Pre-existingpathogens(fungi,bacteria,virus,andnematodes)caninfectnewtrees,causingreplantdisease(gradualtreedeclineandlackofvigor).Beforeplantingnewtreesintoasitepreviouslyplantedwithapples,removeasmanyoftheoldrootsaspossible.Somecrabapple,juniper,andcedarvarietiesareasourceofimportantfungithatcausediseaseinapples.Whenselectingalocationforyourappletreesconsiderplantingthetreesupwindofanycrabapple,juniperorcedartreesthatyoumayhaveinyouryard.

Chooseasunny(6to8hoursofsunlightperday),well-drainedlocationwithaslightsouthernfacingslope.Soilisthefoundationforhealthyandproductivetrees.Soiltemperature,moisture,pHandfertilityallinfluenceasoilpathogen’sabilitytosurviveandcolonizeplants.Appleswillgrowinawiderangeofsoiltypesbutgrowbestinsandyloam,loam,orsiltloamsoils.IdealsoilpHforapplesis6.0-7.0.HaveyoursoiltestedannuallytodeterminethepH,salts,nutrientsandorganicmatterlevels,andwaterholdingcapacity.

Thereisprobablynothingmorefrustratingforahomegardenerthantoseethefruitsofhisorherlaborslosttodiseasesandotherpests.Diseasesoccurwhenenvironmentalconditionsaresuitableforpathogenstoattackthehostplant.Somepathogensattackawidevarietyofplants,whereasothersattackonlyspecificplants.Additionally,somepathogenscanattackallplantparts,whereasothersattackonlyselectedtissues(i.e.flowers,fruit,rootsetc.).

Manytypesoforganismscauseinfectiousdiseasesofplants,butthefivemajorgroupsofplantpathogensarethefungi,watermolds,bacteria,virusesandnematodes.Adverseenvironmentalconditionsalsocancausedisease-likesymptomsonplants;referredtoasdisorders.TheseincludeimpropersoilpH,nutrientdeficienciesandtoxicities,soilcompaction,excesswater,herbicidedamageandmore.Plantsweakenedbyadverseenvironmentalconditionsmaybefurtherpredisposedtoattackbypathogens.

Successfuldiseasemanagementbeginswithaccurateidentificationofthecauseoftheproblem.Knowingthecommondiseasesofindividualcropsaidsgreatlyindiseaseidentificationandmanagement.Manydiseasesarereadilyidentifiedbasedoncharacteristicsigns(observationofthepathogenitself)andsymptoms(observationofdamagetotheplant)ofdisease.Theidentificationofotherdiseasesrequiresmicroscopicexaminationofdiseasedtissuesorevenmoresophisticatedlaboratorytechniques,whichareavailablethroughtheC.WayneEllett Plant&PestDiagnosticClinic,ColumbusOH.

PP Series No. 153

DEPARTMENT OF PLANT PATHOLOGY

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VarietySelection.Inadditiontotheconsiderationofdwarfversusstandardvarieties,harvesttime,ortaste,diseaseresistancetoimportantdiseasesinOhioshouldbeconsidered.FourdiseasesthatcommonlyattackappletreesinOhioarefireblight,applescab,cedarapplerustandpowderymildew.Whileveryfewvarietieshaveresistancetoallfourdiseases,selectingvarietieswithresistancetoapplescab,whichisthemosttroublesomediseaseofappleinOhio,andfireblightisrecommended(seeTable1).Plantingdiseaseresistantvarietiescanreducetheneedforfungicideandbactericideapplications.

Pruning. Annualpruningofappletreesisnecessarytomaintaintreehealth,vigorandproductivity.Pruningpreventsthetreecanopyfromgettingtoodenseandpromotesgoodaircirculation,whichisveryimportantforpreventingmostdiseases.Wellprunedtreesarealsoeasiertospraywithpesticides.

Sanitation. Sanitationincludesvariousphysicalpracticesintendedtoreducepathogenpopulationsandpreventtheirspread.Manypathogenssurviveyeartoyearinthetree,onfallenleavesaroundthetreeandrottingfruit.Attheendoftheseasonremovediseasedfruitfromthetreeandground.Leavesandpruningdebrisshouldberakedandbagged.Diseasedbranchesshouldbeprunedandremovedduringthedormantseason.Diseasedplantmaterialshouldnotbecomposted.

SyntheticChemicals. Thehomegardenerhasseveraloptionsforchemicalcontrol.Mostoftheavailableproductsforhomegardenersworkoncontactandmustbeappliedbeforethediseaseoccursorassoonasdiseasesymptomsareobserved.Themostcommonfungicidesforhomegardenusecontainsulfur,copper,captan ormancozeb.Organicgardenerscanusesulfurorcoppertomanageapplediseases.Beforeapplyingapesticide,alwaysreadtheproductlabelcarefully.AlistofsyntheticchemicalsavailableforhomeownersisprovidedinTable2.Beforeapplyingafungicidealwaysreadtheproductlabelcarefully.

Biopesticides. Manyhomegardenersprefertouseorganicproductsthataremore“environmentallyorearthfriendly”thantraditionalsyntheticchemicals.Biopesticides arederivedfromnaturalmaterialssuchasplants,animals,minerals,andfungiorbacteria,andaremosteffectivewhenusedinconjunctionwith

Disease Management Home Apple Plantings -page 2

Resistance To

Variety AS CR FB PM Other Traits

CrimsonCrisp VR M

R S S red,harvestmid-September

Dayton VR R MR Rbrightmediumred,harvestmid-August,goodforsouthernOhioclimate

Enterprise VR VR MR Rlighttomediumred,mid-October,goodforsouthernOhioclimate

Freedom VR R VR R brightred,harvestlateSeptember

GoldenDelicious S S S VS yellow,harvestlate

September

GoldRush VR S MR Sdeepyellowwithredblush,harvestmid-October,goodforsouthernOhioclimate

Jonafree VR S S Rredstripes,harvestearlySeptember,goodforsouthernOhioclimate

Liberty VR R R R redstripesongreenyellow,harvestlateAugust

Macfree VR VR MR Smediumredovergreenyellow,harvestmid-September

NovaEasygro VR VR R S

80%darkredongreenyellow,harvestearlySeptember

PixieCrunch VR — — — Deepred,harvestearlySeptember

Priscilla VR VR VR R70-90%darkredblushoveryellowgreen,harvestmid-September

Sundance VR VR VR VR

Yellow,occasionallyrussetsinstemcavity,harvestmid-October,goodforsouthernOhioclimate

William’sPride VR VR R R darkred,harvestlateJulyor

earlyAugust

Winesap VS R S R Deepred,harvestmid-October

Table1.AppleVarietiesforHomePlantingsResistancetodiseasesotherthanapplescabhasnotbeenfullyevaluatedandmayormaynotdifferinsomelocationsfromthatreportedhere.Allapplesrequirecross-pollinationbyadifferentvariety.Winesapcannotserveasapollinizerbecauseithassterilepollen.

AS=applescab,CR=cedarapplerust,FB=fireblight,PM=powderymildew.VR=veryresistant,R=resistant,MR=moderatelyresistant,S=susceptible,— =insufficientinformation

culturalmethods.Alistofbiopesticides availableforhomeownersisprovidedinTable3.

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CommonDiseasesofHomeApplePlantingsinOhioApplescab. ApplescabisthemostimportantfungaldiseaseinOhioandismostsevereinwetsprings.Thefunguscausescircular,olivebrowntoblackcoloredspotsontheleaves,fruitandyoungstemsofthetree.Fruitlesionsaregenerallysuperficialanddonotalterthetasteofthefruit.Heavilydiseasedtreeswillprematurelylosetheirleavesandapples.Thefungusoverwintersonfallenleaves.Diseaseisbestcontrolledbyplantingresistantvarieties.Rakinganddestroyingleavesandfruitthathavefallenwillhelptopreventscabthefollowingspring.Leaves,stemsandfruitcanbeprotectedwithsyntheticchemicalsappliedbeginningatgreentip(budsbegintoshowgreentissue)andcontinuingthroughoutthesummer.

Fireblight. Fireblightisabacterialdiseasethatcaneventuallykillatreeifthediseaseisnotcontrolled.Fortunately,thisdiseaseissporadicandonlyanoccasionalproblemforbackyardgrowers.Thediseaseaffectsallpartsofthetreeincludingtheflowers,leaves,shoots,fruitandtrunk.Infectedtissuesarecharacterizedbytheirblackened,burnedappearance,hencethenamefireblight.Infectedshootsoftenhaveacrook-shapeappearance.Duringwarmandwetweatherdiseasedtissuemayoozewithbacteria.Varietiesvaryconsiderablyintheirsusceptibilitytofireblightbutplantingvarieties(androotstocks)thatareresistanttofireblightisthemosteffectivewaytopreventthedisease.MM.111andM.7EMLArootstocksareresistanttofireblight.Iftreesshowsymptomsoffireblight,infectedbranchesortwigsshouldbecutbacktohealthywoodduringthedormantseason.Diseasecanalsobeminimizedbyavoidingheavyapplicationsofnitrogeninthespringasthispromotesvigorousshootgrowth.Fungicideswillnoteffectivelycontrolfireblight.Theantibioticstreptomycincanbeappliedduringbloomtopreventnewinfections.

Powderymildew.PowderymildewisafungaldiseasethatisgenerallynotaprobleminOhio.Thefungusprefershotandfairlydrysummers,whichisnottypicalofmostsummersinOhio.Signsofinfectionappearaswhitepowderygrowthontheshoots,leaves,blossombuds,andimmaturetwigsofapple.Incasesofsevereinfection,theskinofthefruitwillbelightbrownincolorandroughtothe

AppleScabMelanieLewisIvey,TheOhio

StateUniversity

SummerFruitRotMelanieLewisIvey,TheOhio

StateUniversity

FireBlightMarcusMcCartney,TheOhioStateUniversityExtension

PowderyMildewSashaMarine,Virginia

PolytechnicInstituteandStateUniversity

touch,whichiscalledrussetting.Duringthedormantseason,thetipsofdiseasedtwigswillhaveafrostywhiteappearance.Thediseaseiseffectivelycontrolledbyplantingresistantvarieties.Pruninganddestroyingdiseasedtwigsduringthedormantseasonwillhelptoreducenewinfectionsinthespring.Fungicidesandbiopesticides canalsobeusedbeginningbeforetheblossomsstartshowingapinkcolorandrepeatedthroughoutthesummer.

Summerfruitrots. Therearethreefungalfruitrots(Blackrot,WhiterotandBitterrot)thatcancauseapplefruittorotwhilestillonthetree.Theblackrotfunguscaninfectfruitduringwarmrainsanytimefrom petalfalltoharvestbutsymptomsdon’tshowuponthefruituntilitbeginstoripen.Large,tantoblackcoloredlesionsthatformonthecalyxendofthefruitarefirmanddryaretypicalofblackrot.Incontrast,whiterotlesionsaresoftwithanapplesauceconsistency.Fruitwithwhiterotoften

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Disease Management Home Apple Plantings -page 4

Table2.FungicidesforUseinHomeApplePlantings

Fungicide TradeNamesDiseasesControlled

RecommendedRate(PerGallonofWater)

calciumchloride*

Calcium-25ferti-lomeYieldBoosterTetraCor-ClearDryCalcium

BitterpitCorkspot

1.5tablespoons

captan Hi-YieldCaptan 50WFungicide ApplescabFlyspeckFruitrotsSootyblotch

1-1.5tablespoons

copper Liqui-CopCopperFungicidalspray

Fireblight 4-6teaspoons(silverto½inchgreentiponly)

mancozeb Bonide Mancozeb Flowable withZinc

ApplescabJuniperrusts

5teaspoons

myclobutanil Spectracide Immunox Multi-purposeFungicide

ApplescabCedarapplerustPowderymildew

4teaspoons

sulfur Bonide SulfurPlantFungicideSulfurSaferBrandGardenFungicideII

FruitrotsCedarapplerustPowderymildewSootyblotch

1-2½ tablespoons

*Donotapplycalciumchloridesprayswhentemperatureisabove85degreesFandrinsesprayerwellafterusebecausecalciumchlorideiscorrosive.

Biopesticide DiseasesControlled

RecommendedRate(PerGallonofWater)

BayerAdvancedSerenadeGardenDiseaseControl

Fireblight 4-8tablespoons

GreenCure FoliarFungicide

ApplescabFlyspeckPowderymildew

1-2tablespoons

SafeGro MildewCure Powderymildew 3tablespoons

NeemOils(manybrands)

Powderymildew Refertoproductlabels

BioWorksMilStop Powderymildew 1tablespoons

BioSafe DiseaseControl Powderymildew 1.5tablespoons

Organocide PlantDoctor Applescab 3-4teaspoons

Table3.Biopesticides forUseinHomeApplePlantings

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haveasoursmellwhenyoucutthemopen.Whiterotinfectionsprimarilyoccurduringtheheatofthesummer.Bitterrotisfavoredbyhotandhumidweatherduringmidtolatesummer.Symptomsofbitterrotincludecircularlesionsthatareslightlysunken.Indampweather,massesoforangesporesforminthecenterofbitterrotlesions.Fungicideappliedbeginningatpetalfallandcontinuingthroughharvestwillprovidegoodcontroloffruitrots.Therearenoeffectivebiopesticides forfruitrotcontrol.Topreventfruitrotsfrombeingayearlyproblemdiseasedfruitonthetreesandgroundshouldberemovedanddestroyed.

Flyspeckandsootyblotch. Flyspeckandsootyblotcharetwodifferentdiseases,causedbydifferentfungibuttheycommonlyoccurtogetheronthesamefruit.Bothdiseasesaremostcommonduringyearswithcoolwetsprings,rainsinlatesummer,andlowtemperaturesinearlyfall.Althoughallapplevarietiesaresusceptibletoinfectionbybothfungi,symptomsaremostsevereonyelloworlight-coloredvarieties.Sootyblotchappearsasdullblacktogreycoloredblotchesonthefruit.Flyspeckappearsassmallgroupsofblackshinyrounddotsthatmayormaynotformwithinsootyblotchpatches.Sootyblotchandflyspecksymptomsaresuperficialonthefruitandcanberemovedbywashingorrubbingthefruit.Annualpruningoftreestopromotegoodairflowthroughthecanopyandrapidfruitdryingisaveryeffectivemanagementstrategy.Fungicidesandbiopesticidescanbeusedtocontrolbothdiseases,howeverbecausethediseasesdon’taffectfruitqualityandthesymptomscanberubbedoff,fungicidesandbiopesticides arenotrecommendedforhomeplantings.

Cedarapplerust. Cedarapplerustiscausedbyarustfungusandisaproblemwhenappleandcertainspeciesofjuniperandredcedargrowincloseproximity.Thecedarapplerustfunguscausesbrightyellow-orangeorreddishspotsonappleleaves.Occasionallylesionswillalsoappearonthecalyxendoffruit.Resistantvarietiesshouldbeplantedinyardsthathavejunipersorredcedarsnearby(uptoamile).Forhomeownerswhowantjuniperandredcedartreesintheiryard,theyshouldconsiderplantingrustresistantvarieties(seeOSUExtensionFactsheetHYG-3055-08foralistofjuniperandcedarvarietieswithresistancetocedarapplerust).Fungicidesappliedbeginningattightcluster(blossombudsthatare

FlyspeckandSootyBlotch

JannaBeckerman,PurdueUniversity

mostlyexposedandtightlygrouped)canprotectappletreesfromrustinfections.Therearenoeffectivebiopesticides forcedarapplerust.

CedarAppleRustonCrabapple

RachelMedina,TheOhioStateUniversity

CedarAppleRustonRedCedar

DavidTaylor,USDAForestService

CommonInjuriesofHomeApplePlantingsinOhioNecroticleafblotch. NecroticleafblotchisacommonbutminorproblemthatappearstoberestrictedtotheGoldenDeliciouscultivarofapples.Thecauseoftheproblemisnotknown.NecroticleafblotchusuallyappearsinlateJuneorearlyJulyandmatureleavesonrapid-growingshootsareusuallytheonlypartofthetreethatshowssymptoms.Symptomsbeginasblotchingontheleaves,followedbyyellowinganddefoliation.Treesthathaveabiennialbearinghabitoralightfruitcroparemorepronetonecroticleafblotchthananannualmoderatecropoffruit.Treesprunedtohaveacentralleadertendtohavelessnecroticleafscorchthanthosethatareprunedtoanopencenter.Fungicidesandbiopesticides arenotrecommended.

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Disease Management Home Apple Plantings -page 6

Bitterpitandcorkspot. Bitterpitandcorkspotarephysiologicaldisordersthataffectfruitquality.Theyarecausedbylowlevelsofcalciuminthefruit.LowsoilpH,excessivenitrogen,rapidshootgrowth,andlargefruitfromtreeswithlightcropsareassociatedwithincreasedincidenceofthesedisorders.Corkspotappearsanywhereonthefruitasgreendimplesordepressions.Whenthefruitispealedacorkybrownspotisunderthedimpleordepression.Bitterpitappearsassightdepressionsgenerallyonthecalyxendofthefruit.However,insomeinstancesthesymptomsmaynotbeapparentonthefruitsurfacebutappearundertheskin.Undertheskintherewillbedry,brownspongyspots.Appleswithbitterpitoftenhaveabittertaste.Symptomsofbothdiseasescanbedifficulttodistinguishfromdamagecausedbyinsects.Forlongtermcontrolofbitterrotandcorkspot,soillimingatplantingandthreetofiveyearintervalsafterplantingissuggested.Asoiltestshouldbeconductedtodeterminetheamountoflimestonetoaddtothesoil.Foliarapplicationofcalciumchloridebeginningtwoweeksafterfullbloomandcontinuingat10to14dayintervalsthereaftermayhelpreducecorksspotandbitterpitinestablishedtrees.

NecroticLeafBlotchMarkLongstroth,MichiganStateUniversity

The College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences and its academic and research departments including, Ohio Agricultural Research and Development Center (OARDC), Agricultural Technical Institute (ATI) and Ohio State University Extension embraces human diversity and is committed to ensuring that all research and related educational programs are available to clientele on a nondiscriminatory basis without regard to age, ancestry, color, disability, gender identity or expression, genetic information, HIV/AIDS status, military status, national origin, race, religion, sex, sexual orientation, or veteran status. This statement is in accordance with United States Civil Rights Laws and the USDA.

Cathann A. Kress, Ph.D., Vice President for Agricultural Administration & Dean

For Deaf and Hard of Hearing, please contact the College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences using your preferred communication (e-mail, relay services, or video relay services). Phone 1-800-750-0750 between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. EST Monday through Friday. Inform the operator to dial 614-292-6891.

Copyright © 2017, The Ohio State University

MelanieL.LewisIvey,AssistantProfessorDepartmentofPlantPathology,Wooster,OH44691

PPSeriesNo.15301/18

BitterPitPoliana Francescatto,Cornell

University

CorkSpotMikeEllis,TheOhioState

University