Rhizosphaera needle cast.(PEST OF THE MONTH)

Arbor Age, December, 2006 by Childs, Gina

Rhizosphaera needle cast, caused by the fungus Rhizosphaera Kalkhoffii, is a disfiguring disease of blue and white spruce in landscape settings, as well as in nurseries and Christmas tree plantations.

What does it look like?

The fungus can be identified by observing the stomata of spruce needles. Instead of the needles displaying normal white stomata, infected needles will have fuzzy black dots. Late in the summer, infected 2-year-old or older needles turn yellow, then brown, and eventually are cast from the tree. The damage is most severe on the lower portion of the tree. Infected trees can resemble trees infected by Cytospora canker; however, a tree infected by Cytospora will typically have branch cankers, as well as large amounts of pitching at the...

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