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Bacterial Wetwood on Cottonwoods

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Bacterial Wetwood on Cottonwoods UTAH PESTS News Utah Plant Pest Diagnostic Laboratory and USU Extension Vol. V, Winter 2011 Bacterial Wetwood on Cottonwoods Over the past two years, we have had reports of cottonwoods of all ages dying suddenly or in decline in parts of Utah What’s Inside (Cache, Iron, and Salt Lake counties). Af- Invasive Pest Highlight: ter several unsuccessful attempts by plant Brown Marmorated Stink pathologists at Oregon State University Bug to isolate plant pathogens from the wood, How Winter Weather Af- we came to the conclusion that the prob- fects Insect Activity lem was simply, bacterial wetwood, which is difficult to pinpoint to one causal or- Detection of Invasive Pest ganism. If you are familiar with bacterial in Utah Demonstrates Importance of CAPS wetwood, the symptoms we have seen are not as clear-cut as you might think. Dealing with Delusional Infestation Bacterial wetwood is a disease that af- Powdery Mildews in Your fects many hardwoods and some conifers. Backyard - Part 1 In general, it is an asymptomatic condition in trees, but in the case of cottonwoods News, Publications, (and globe willows and sometimes elms), Websites, Calendar it is lethal. Naturally occur- ring soil and water bacteria News Highlights enter the tree through root wounds or are transmitted New Utah Pests from tree to tree through Fact SheetS The following can be natural root grafting or by found on our Web site: wood-boring insects. The bacteria multiply and occupy Cockroaches the xylem, killing and stain- ing the wood and causing Elm Bark Beetles and a water-soaked condition. Dutch Elm Disease In the absence of oxygen, Eriophyid Mites these bacteria degrade pectin, starches, and sugars Fire Blight Annual via fermentation to pro- Management Guide duce methane and carbon dioxide. High gas pressure and moisture content forces fermentation by-products to Top outer limbs, and in the case of cottonwoods and globe : Cottonwood trees of all ages can be killed, seemingly willow, to the cambium, caus- Bottomovernight, by bacterial wetwood. ing localized death. Fluid : Symptoms include early fall color, dieback, and quarter- that seeps out of wounds or sized areas of tarry-like ooze on the bark. Under the ooze are branch stubs is colonized by www.utahpests.usu.edu small cankers of dead cambium, and orange staining of the xylem. continued on next page Bacterial Wetwood, continued from previous page UTAH PESTS airborne bacteria and yeasts, resulting in Staff the foul-smelling and toxic “slime flux.” Affected cottonwoods in Utah do not Diane Alston express the classic slime flux, but have Entomologist several small (quarter-sized) areas of [email protected] tar-like ooze on the bark. Removal 435-797-2516 of the bark over these oozing areas Ryan Davis reveals a brown discolored cambium and Arthropod Diagnostician fermented odor. The xylem beneath the [email protected] dead cambium is streaked red. In the 435-797-2435 case of the dying cottonwoods in Utah, Marion Murray the symptoms indicated multiple entry IPM Project Leader points through roots and by spread of Editor, Utah Pests News flatheaded borers. Trees contained both [email protected] basal and upper stem cambial wetwood 435-797-0776 cankers that, in advanced stages, co- Claudia Nischwitz alesced into a single massive formation. Plant Pathologist Some trees developed cracks in the [email protected] upper limbs due to the intense pressure 435-797-7569 within the tree. Symptoms of disease expression started with yellowing, wilt- Ricardo Ramirez Entomologist ing, and scorching foliage in parts of the [email protected] canopy, branch dieback, and failure to 435-797-8088 leaf out in spring. Death eventually oc- curred when the cambium was girdled Cory Vorel at the base of the tree. In advanced stages of decline, large areas of USU CAPS Coordinator cambial tissue are killed. [email protected] 801-388-5433 Most of the cottonwoods were grow- by wetwood at a very young age (less ing in environments that favors spread, than 10 years), and not show symptoms including monoculture plantings that for many years. Areas that have impor- allow for root to root spread, compacted tant cottonwoods should be managed for prevention of disease. The most Utah Plant Pest soil, surface roots exposed to wounding, and in some instances, drought conditions important factor is to prevent damage Diagnostic Lab and stress to roots. Trees should be given BNR Room 203 or excessive water. Most trees also had Utah State University a high incidence of cytospora canker that optimal watering and fertilization. 5305 Old Main Hill probably contributed to tree death. Dead Logan, UT 84322 trees ranged in age from 20-60 years. -Marion Murray, IPM Project Leader UTAH PESTS News Although isolating bacteria from wood is published quarterly. is very difficult, there have been reports To subscribe, click here. of over 13 genera of bacteria associated References: All images © UTAH PESTS and USU with wetwood tissue. Species from two Extension unless otherwise credited. genera, Clostridium and Enterobacter, are Shink, Bernard, J.C. Ward, and J.G. Zeikus. 1981. most prevalent, but cannot be assumed to Microbiology of wetwood: role of anaerobic be the causal agents of wetwood because bacterial populations in living trees. Journal of General Microbiology. Vol 123: 313-322. utahpests.usu.edu they have never been tested for ability to induce wetwood in laboratory conditions. Johnson, D.W., and J.W. Riffle. 1986. Wetwood in elm, cottonwood, and mulberry. In: Diseases of Trees in the Great Plains. USFS General There are no chemical treatments to Technical Report, RM-129, pp 64-65. prevent or cure trees with bacterial wet- wood. Trees may have become affected Scott, Eileen. 1984. Populations of bacteria in poplar stems. Eur. J. For. Path. Vol 14: 103-112. www.utahpests.usu.edu Utah Pests News - Winter 2011 - page 2 entomology NEWS AND information Invasive Pest Highlight: The Brown Marmorated Stink Bug A new invasive pest to the U.S. is a concern for Utah’s agricultural, landscape, and home garden industries. The brown marmorated stink bug (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae) is native to Asia and was first detected in the U.S. in Allentown, Pennsylvania in 1998. It has since spread to areas of the Mid-Atlantic, South-Atlantic, Northeast, Great Lakes, and David R. Lance, USDA APHIS PPQ USDA Lance, R. David Northwest regions of the U.S. In 2010, it caused severe crop APHIS PPQ USDA Lance, R. David injury to pome and stone fruits and some small fruits and vegetables in the Mid-Atlantic region. Some characteristics of the brown marmorated (= marbled) stink bug that make it such a concern include: • Adult populations move rapidly from one crop to another (a few hours for nearby fields). • It appears to be widely adaptable to many regions of the U.S. State University Pennsylvania State University Pennsylvania • It has a broad plant host range that includes tree fruits, vine and cane fruits, some vegetables (sweet corn, Adult stink bugs (top left) are identified by white bands on tomato, pepper, bean, asparagus), some field crops dark antennae, a smooth “shoulder” and black and white pattern around abdomen. Eggs and nymphs (top left) are (soybean, corn), and some landscape trees and shrubs. difficult to tell from other stink bugs. Injury to apple fruit • It feeds on fruits, seeds, and leaves. (bottom) resembles other stink bug injury. • It is already showing resistace to some pyrethroid red. Late nymphs are darker with light bands on dark legs insecticides. and antennae. Eggs are light green, barrel-shaped and laid in small clusters (20-30 eggs). The brown marmorated stink bug • Both the adult and nymph (immature) stages cause plant generally completes one generation per year in most regions injury. of the U.S., but it may be multi-voltine in warmer areas. It • It is also a nuisance pest, as it seeks shelter from the overwinters in the adult stage. Adults seek protected sites winter within buildings (similar to boxelder bug and the beginning in September. This habit causes it to be a nuisance Asian multicolored lady beetle). pest for people as it congregates in homes, office buildings and other structures. DAMAGE The brown marmorated stink bug feeds by sucking on plant SPREAD AND HOW TO REPORT OCCURRENCES juices with its beak composed of tube-like mouthparts. On Utah crop producers and home gardeners should be on fruits it causes small necrotic spots. On pome fruits, a pithy the look-out for this insect to show up in Utah. It is now area often forms under the fruit skin. For stone fruits that well established in greater Portland, OR. It could easily be are attacked early in the season, typical stink bug cat-facing transported on plant products or in vehicles to the fruit (puckering, distortion) is caused. On leaves, feeding causes and vegetable producing regions of Utah. If a suspected light-colored stippling or small crows-foot shaped lesions. On specimen is spotted, collect it and submit it to your local seedpods, the bug feeds on the immature seeds developing Utah State University Extension office or Utah Department within the pod. of Agriculture and Food office. Also report any suspect plant injury as this has been a common way its presence has been APPEARANCE AND LIFE HISTORY first detected in other regions of the country. The adult is a typical shield-shaped stink bug (5/8 in long, 3/8 in wide). Its upper side is mottled brown and gray and -Diane Alston, Entomologist its underside is white with gray and black markings. Its antennae have alternating dark and light bands on the last For further information, visit these online resources: two segments which is a characteristic that separates it from other similar-looking stink bugs.
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