Native and Exotic Root Diseases of California
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Native and Exotic Root Diseases Of California Pete Angwin Plant Pathologist USDA Forest Service Forest Health Protection Redding, California Root Diseases Pages 25-42 In The Training Manual Caused by fungi with the ability to infect and kill living roots and spread through the root system to adjacent healthy trees Native vs. Exotic Root Diseases In California Native Exotic Heterobasidion Root Port-Orford-cedar Root Disease Disease Black Stain Root Disease Armillaria Root Disease Types of Root Disease Rootlet necrosis (Death of feeder roots) Decay (Breakdown of host tissues) Vascular wilt (Plugging of vascular elements) Root Disease Effects Mortality Growth reduction Volume loss Tree hazard Stress Root Disease Effects Important natural disturbance agents Create canopy gaps, alter forest structure Enhance vegetative and wildlife diversity General Signs and Symptoms of Root Disease Loss of Needles & Thinning Crowns Be aware that other insect and disease agents produce similar symptoms. It is very important to look for additional clues that will help you determine what the actual problem is. Discoloration of Tree Crown May be due to the root disease itself or secondary attack by bark beetles Sap Bleeding From Lower Bole Pattern of Dying of Individual Trees Progression of deterioration of adjacent trees. Sometimes scattered individual dead and dying trees Mushrooms or Conks at Base of Tree Windthrow Advanced rot in the structural roots or no roots present means root disease is probably active on the site. Bark Beetle Attacks Beetles will attack trees with root disease as well as trees weakened by fire, drought and overstocked conditions. When you see beetle attacks it is important to look for other clues that may indicate root disease is present. Two Most Damaging Native Root Diseases In California Heterobasidion root disease Black stain root disease Also: Armillaria root disease Heterobasidion Root Disease A Root and Butt Rot Heterobasidion irregulare and Heterobasidion occidentale What is in a Name ? Common Names Annosus root rot Annosus root disease Annosum root rot Annosum root disease Heterobasidion root disease Latin Names Fomes annosus Heterobasidion annosum The New Names are here: Heterobasidion Root Disease Caused by two fungi: Heterobasidion irregulare (formerly “p-type” of H. annosum) – pines, incense cedar, western juniper, manzanita, madrone Heterobasidion occidentale (formerly “s- type” of H. annosum) – true firs, spruce, giant sequoia, hemlock (Otrosina and Garbelotto, 2010) Heterobasidion Root Disease Reports in California Why Heterobasidion is Such a Problem Strong Pathogenic Abilities – Attack living roots – Can spread aerially by spores, colonizing fresh stumps and wounds Why Heterobasidion is Such a Problem Strong Saprophytic Abilities – Colonizes dead and dying stumps out to roots – Decays heartwood leaving stringy white rot – Occupy root systems for up to 35-50 yrs! Both species can colonize pine stumps! H. occidentale can use pine stumps as a “bridge” to adjacent live fir H. irregulare only occasionally colonizes fir stumps Why Heterobasidion is Such a Problem Strong Saprophytic Abilities – Colonizes dead and dying stumps out to roots – Decays heartwood leaving stringy white rot – Occupy root systems for up to 35-50 yrs! Both species can colonize pine stumps! H. occidentale can use pine stumps as a “bridge” to adjacent live fir H. irregulare only occasionally colonizes fir stumps Symptoms: Faded or Flattened Crown Sapling Mortality Near Stumps Lack of Regeneration Within Root Disease Center Heterobasidion Root and Stem Decay Laminant decay with pits on one surface Stringy Rot in Roots Advanced Decay Spongy White With Black Flecks Signs: Conks are commonly found in hollowed out stumps “Popcorn” Conks On Roots of Small Saplings or Under Bark Lab Examination Asexual spores Spiniger meineckellum Management Strategies Prevention – Stump Treatment . Sporax = Borax = Sodium tetraborate hydrate . Cellu-Treat = Disodium Octaborate Tetrahydrate (New liquid borate formulation) – Minimize injuries to trees (esp. fir) Silvicultural Choices – Plant or manage non-hosts of local Heterobasidion species Eliminating infection centers – Uprooting and trenching – Removing healthy margin of trees Sporax Treatment of Freshly-Cut Stumps Surfaces are receptive for up to 2 weeks Treat stumps of fire- killed trees if: – tree dead less than 18 months – trees retain any needles- green or brown Sporax application 34 Cellu-Treat application on Plumas NF using back-pack sprayer 35 Cellu-Treat Can Be Applied To Irregular Stump Surfaces Black Stain Root Disease Caused by Leptographium wageneri L. wageneri Causes A Vascular Wilt Fungal hyphae in xylem tracheids L. wageneri In Cross Section Of Root Black Stain Fungus vs. Blue Stain Fungus Black stain root disease is spread via root contacts and insects Black stain can weaken trees, making them susceptible to bark beetle attack Three host-specific varieties of L. wageneri Leptographium wageneri var. wageneri Host:Pinyon pine Leptographium wageneri var. ponderosum Hosts:Ponderosa, Jeffrey and lodgepole pine, and occasionally sugar pine and hemlock Leptographium wageneri var. pseudotsugae Host: Douglas-fir Distribution of Black Stain Root Disease In California Symptoms Symptoms include all the typical root disease symptoms, including sparse & chlorotic crowns, reduced growth; heavy stress cone crops, and basal resinosus. Distinct disease centers or scattered infected trees. Scattered Jeffrey pine mortality on the Modoc National Forest Signs The major sign of black stain root disease is a dark brown to purple black stain in the sapwood of infected roots and lower stems. This is diagnostic! Disease Cycle Infection centers are initiated by root-feeding bark beetles and weevils that carry fungal spores on their bodies. These insects are attracted to wounds and weakened, low vigor trees. Infection appears to be favored by cool, wet environments. Local spread is via small rootlets, either by root-root contact or short-distance growth of the fungus through the soil. Disease Cycle The fungus doesn’t survive long in dead host trees, so disease centers often expand and break up as trees in the inside of the centers die. The fungus can survive in vigorous live trees, and make itself known during drought or other periods of stress. Management Strategies Consider management objectives. Will expected disease levels be acceptable? Maintain trees in a vigorous condition with adequate spacing Avoid disturbance and injury, especially during times of peak beetle activity. Consider patch or clear cutting in highly diseased areas. Replant with non-host or a mix of species. Thinning can help by enhancing tree vigor and creating conditions that are less favorable for the pathogen, but if not done carefully, can increase disease levels. Management Strategies- Thinning Thin aggressively, leaving an understocked stand. This will minimize future stand entries. Favor non-host species or a mix of species and remove diseased or weakened trees. Thin as early in the stand rotation as possible. Minimize soil disturbance, compaction and tree injury. Consider dry season operation, skyline yarding, minimize and designate skid trails, and avoid new road construction. Management Strategies- Thinning If possible, thin when insect vectors are least active, generally from late June to early September. Monitor post-harvest levels of black stain root disease to evaluate the effectiveness of various levels of thinning. Black stain root disease is common in northern California, but ongoing thinning in areas such as McCloud Flats has lessened the impacts. However, its impacts, with those of the western pine bark beetle, increase during droughts. Armillaria Root Disease Armillaria Root Disease Shoestring root disease Oak root disease – Mostly A. mellea in California Other species are weak pathogens or saprophytes – California’s species are weak pathogens or saprophytes – More pathogenic species of Armillaria are in Oregon and other states Damage Not usually a big problem Stringy root decay Weakly attacks stressed hardwoods and conifers Blowdown/Tree hazard A. mella damage is more common in orchards and vineyards and in areas that are overwatered Armillaria Root Disease: Thick, white, mycelial fans under the bark Armillaria root disease Rhizomorphs (“shoestrings”) Armillaria root disease Fruiting bodies are produced in the fall Temperature and moisture dependent Management Not usually a big problem Since disease is more prevalent in stressed stands or sites, keep competition down Avoid cutting or killing oaks near young conifers Avoid overwatering oaks in landscape Replant landscape site with tolerant or resistant species Port-Orford-cedar Root Disease Caused by Phytophthora lateralis, an exotic pathogen Hosts are Port-Orford-cedar and Pacific yew First found on nursery stock in 1920’s Pathogen origin most likely Taiwan on hinoki cypress (Chamaecyparis obtusa) 99%+ Mortality of Port-Orford-cedar Once infected, seedlings die within a few months, mature trees within 2-4 years Port-Orford-cedar Root Disease Pacific yew (Taxus brevifolia) becomes infected only under high inoculum loads Impacts of Port-Orford-cedar Root Disease Loss of Port-Orford-cedar from riparian zones (and loss of wildlife habitat) Loss of timber resource Road closures to protect or prevent disease spread Restrictions on bough harvest Cost of control Port-Orford-cedar Root Disease Cambial stain of Phytophthora lateralis