Pest Control for the Southern Plains: Pine Wilt Disease

Prevent the spread of this insect-borne illness through careful plant selection and maintenance

There are several pests that attack pine trees ( Pinusspp . and cvs . , Zones 2–9 ) in the Southern Plains — from pine acerate leaf scale to acerate leaf blight to chicken - belly out sapsucker — but none are as devastating as pine wilting disease . This dramatic disease kills pine trees very rapidly , within a few week to a few calendar month . unluckily , once a tree is infected , there ’s no saving it . However , there are several preventive measures homeowner can take to avoid this disease .

Pine wilt disease at a glance

Pine wilt disease is cause by the pine wood nematode ( Bursaphelenchus xylophilus ) , a microscopical , nonsegmental dirt ball that fertilize inside the aboveground portion of pine trees . nematode worm alimentation disrupts the flow of weewee through the tree diagram , make wilt symptoms follow by speedy end . Pine wood nematode worm can not move from tree diagram to tree without the assistance of a transmitter . They hobble a ride in the respiratory systems of pine sawyer beetle beetles ( Monochamusspp . ) , which expect the nematode worm to healthy trees as they course .

Recognizing pine wilt disease

Pine wilting disease affects a kind of pine species , though nonnative mintage be given to be highly susceptible , including Austrian pine tree ( Pinus nigrai , Zones 4–7 ) , Scotch pine ( P. sylvestris , Zones 2–7 ) , Japanese black pine ( P. thunbergia , Zones 5–8 ) , and Japanese crimson pine ( P. densiflora , Zones 3–7 ) . Infected trees begin to show symptom in midsummer through other wintertime , with acerate leaf turning dull Thomas Gray and then brown . symptom of pine wilt start at the top of the tree and progress downward , a trait that help separate it from needle diseases . Another separate feature is the retention of dead phonograph needle , which be given to point toward the ground . Wood cut from an infected tree diagram will be noticeably dry , with small to no pitch shot flow , and may exhibit profane spotting .

Plant selection and care

distressed trees are more susceptible to both insect and disease infestation , so it is crucial to keep trees well water , particularly during metre of drought . When selecting fresh tree to found in the landscape , nullify the extremely susceptible metal money mention above , and select species best suited to your local clime . aboriginal pine are more often than not considered moderately to extremely resistant , although infection has been documented in native species . Here are a few aboriginal pines that you might weigh planting .

Native pines for the Southern Plains: Eastern species

Native pines for the Southern Plains: Western species

Preventive control

While there are two chemicals ( abamectin and emamectin benzoate ) labeled for bar of pine wilt disease , they are generally not consider to be cost - in effect for the distinctive householder . Products arrest these chemicals must be come in into the trunk by a certified tree care specialist every one to two yr . Additionally , these discussion can only be preventive ; they are not effective once trees show symptom or if pine wilting nematodes have already colonized the tree .

Managing the spread

Currently , the most important management strategy is the timely removal and destruction of infected Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree to limit the spread of pine wilt disease . If you have a pine Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree that died rapidly and you suspect pine wilt disease , send a sample to your nation ’s plant disease symptomatic science laboratory for identification . ( take your local county propagation office about this military service . ) Infected trees should be cut to ground level and the Sir Henry Wood burn up , chipped , or buried to put down the nematodes and the pine sawyer beetle beetles . It is important to burn all the wood before the following spring when the mallet vectors come forth . If replant in the same sphere , select a deciduous tree diagram coinage .

Keep an eye on the weather

Pine wood nematode development is dependent on high summer temperatures , make the Southern Plains an ideal environment for this disease . Occurrence of pine wilting disease is expect to increase if warming clime trends stay . Outbreaks associated with wet outflow weather have also been noted . With ascendancy options limited , making wise Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree pick choices now can help limit problems in the future .

— Kim Toscano is a horticulturalist , entomologist , garden designer , writer , and pictorial designer . She previously hostedOklahoma horticulture , a hebdomadal PBS television program bring forth by the Oklahoma Cooperative Extension Service .

Photos : courtesy of USDA Forest Service — North Carolina Research Station , USDA Forest Service , Bugwood.org

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