Fungus on Scot Pine

[Nishant]

Hello Friends,

I really need an urgent help for this nice tree that I have. Its a nice some 30 year old tree. For last three years I can see its needles are falling. Mt tree is becoming bare of needles.

I know the scot pine will shed needles but it should be only the tho-three older needles. With this tree even the last year needles are being impacted. I tried looking up the symptoms on internet yesterday and it seems it is suffering from Dothistroma or brown spot.

Does someone have experienced this and know which fungicide is known to remove this fungus. Mencozeb was suggested on internet.

As it is a very dear tree for me, I would really appreciate any guidance to get it back in health.

Thanks for your inputs.

Regards

 

[Shibui]

The photos are not really clear enough for an accurate diagnosis. Dothostroma usually appears as bands of yellow/orange on the green needles. It also has black spots of fruiting bodies.
Poor conditions can also cause early needle drop. Are you happy to rule out any stress on the tree?

If you still suspect dothostroma fungicides can control it.
I've just checked one site which says that no chemicals are registered for dothostroma in UK but that was 2008. Copper sprays are used on this side so the same sprays (copper oxychloride/ bordeaux, etc) used on peaches should provide some measure of control. They need to be applied several times per year.
There are several systemic fungicides that are effective but I don't know if any are available to you in the UK.

 

[Nishant]

Thanks Shibui for reply. Can you please send me the link of website you referred to. It will help me do further research.

I feel it is Dothostroma becuase some of the website say it mostly affectss older needles and the new ones are less suseptible, leaving "Lions Tail" look. I see this same thing on my tree. The other disease resembling it is the Brown spots but that one comes around Aug-Sept time and affects needles of all ages. Both diseases have black spots and so do my tree's needles.

So in best of my judgement, I think it is Dothostroma. Nevertheless both disease are controlled by Mencozeb or Copper sprays.

I think there is no stress on the tree. Every year in spring it comes with lots of cones, which I believe is becuase it has that much energy in its reserve to put of cones. I know some people say the plant fruits when it is in stress.

 

[Shibui]

This is one of the sites that came up when i searched dothostroma control UK
https://www.forestresearch.gov.uk/t...-disease-resources/dothistroma-needle-blight/

There's not a lot to go on but may give you something to work with or clues where to go next.
Good luck with control.

 

[Nishant]

Adding some pictures more clear

 

[Shibui]

Much better. Now I can see bands which are indicative of dothostroma.
Hope you can find some way to treat it.

 

[sorce]

How long has it been in that whiskey barrel?

It seems "rooty", clogged, unfresh, whatever I can feel without feeling it. It feels root hurting.

Seems that caused the weakness that caused the thing I can't spell!

Sorce

 

[Nishant]

How long has it been in that whiskey barrel?

It seems "rooty", clogged, unfresh, whatever I can feel without feeling it. It feels root hurting.

Seems that caused the weakness that caused the thing I can't spell!

Sorce

Thanks Sorce for replying.

I repotted it last year and used compost from Kaizen Bonsai to fill the space. The water flows out easily.

The dropping of needle stops later in the year when the weather cools down much in line with what the fungus symptoms. If root was the problem then it would not have been seasonal. Also I have checked from underside of the pot which has lots of holes, the roots look okay.

 

[sorce]

repotted it last year and used compost from Kaizen Bonsai to fill the space.

What does this mean? Sounds slip potted ish?

If so, even with the visible roots looking good, it could be that the core, which also would be the part responsible for keeping the older needles healthy, could be suffering.

Sorce

 

[Nishant]

What does this mean? Sounds slip potted ish?

If so, even with the visible roots looking good, it could be that the core, which also would be the part responsible for keeping the older needles healthy, could be suffering.

Sorce

Yes just slip reportting.

Okay. So if there is such a possibility that root is suffering, what is my best recourse?

 

[sorce]

Yes just slip reportting.

Okay. So if there is such a possibility that root is suffering, what is my best recourse?

Since the balance is so delicate now, I would do my best to nurture those visible roots that are healthy. Since it seems they are the only ones keeping this alive. You need to have ALL NEW growth get you to a period where it is safe to Repot, which seems 2 years out.

Or risk the Repot now. But it's a big risk. Sure dead risk IMO.

Moving it or anything means death IMo.

Nurturing these roots......

I think allowing it to see earth via those roots is best.
Maybe putting the pot in a pot.

I might risk poking some toothpicks to into the old soil to aerate it if it's stable enough.

Gonna be tough, but if you come away with a supreme hatred for slippotting, you will be one-up!

Slip potting ... Well, I've written enough hate speech on it. Search it! It's a detriment in bonsai.

My recent best quote.....

Use horticulture for design purposes only.
Never use horticulture for horticulture.

Sorce

 

[Nishant]

Thanks Sorce for your reply.

 

[Nishant]

Just bringing this old thread back with a great piece of news. The fungal infection that plagued my tree are gone. No more yellow needles.

 

[sorce]

This thing living will be a major success story!

Nice!

Sorce

 

[Mike Corazzi]

Thanks Sorce for replying.

I repotted it last year and used compost from Kaizen Bonsai to fill the space. The water flows out easily.

The dropping of needle stops later in the year when the weather cools down much in line with what the fungus symptoms. If root was the problem then it would not have been seasonal. Also I have checked from underside of the pot which has lots of holes, the roots look okay.

"Easy flow" in compost can be ...channeling.
Water can go AROUND some soil.

 

[Nishant]

I watered the tree very carefully and made sure the compost does not dry up. I checked last week and I could see some white root fibres emerging on the edges of the root ball. I kept sides filled with hessian to keep the moisture but the root ball was surrounded with a cloth so as to avoid root growing into hessian. The roots have come up well but I still have to see the white fungi.

I am planning to buy scot pine saplings from market, pick the one which would have lots of white stuff on sides of root ball, harvest the soil and smear the soil on sides of my tree's root ball? Does this sound like anything can go wrong with this approach.

I intend to use s scot pine saplings so that the correct species of fungus is available to the tree. What say?

 

[JeffS73]

I watered the tree very carefully and made sure the compost does not dry up. I checked last week and I could see some white root fibres emerging on the edges of the root ball. I kept sides filled with hessian to keep the moisture but the root ball was surrounded with a cloth so as to avoid root growing into hessian. The roots have come up well but I still have to see the white fungi.

I am planning to buy scot pine saplings from market, pick the one which would have lots of white stuff on sides of root ball, harvest the soil and smear the soil on sides of my tree's root ball? Does this sound like anything can go wrong with this approach.

I intend to use s scot pine saplings so that the correct species of fungus is available to the tree. What say?

Hi Nishant,

I'm really pleased to see your tree so well recovered. Do you mind sharing what you did, if anything, to help it?

Your plan for introducing a suitable mycorrhizae sounds like it would work. It will work best if you get the myco on or near active root tips during repotting. You can also easily buy myco products online, pick something with lots of ectomycorrhizae. Kaizen sell a suitable product, but I don't know if it works. Or you could harvest some soil from a scots pine plantation, however this risks adding other pathogens!

 

[Nishant]

Hi Nishant,

I'm really pleased to see your tree so well recovered. Do you mind sharing what you did, if anything, to help it?

Your plan for introducing a suitable mycorrhizae sounds like it would work. It will work best if you get the myco on or near active root tips during repotting. You can also easily buy myco products online, pick something with lots of ectomycorrhizae. Kaizen sell a suitable product, but I don't know if it works. Or you could harvest some soil from a scots pine plantation, however this risks adding other pathogens!

Hello Jeff, Thanks for reply.

I did two things mainly. One was to keep any form of moisture falling on needles to avoid the fungus from spreading. I had the needles examined by forestry research department here in UK and they identified it as a new strain of fungus that grow of trees that has been stressed by draught. Lack of adequate water level in cuticle of the foliage leaves it vulnerable to fungus and this species of fungus thrives in such conditions. The fungus spreads and propagates by water so I avoided water on needles, be it via rain or general watering. Besides this, I focused on moisture level of the root ball. I slipped the tree in a larger pot and filled the sides with hessian. This helped to keep the root not too dry not too moist, while being a reservoir of water even for peak summer times.

 

[Potawatomi13]

But,but,but did foresters give any cure for fungicidal invasion? Personally thought tree looks like deprived of adequate Sun light.

 

[Nishant]

Forestry department could not advise any fungicide since they are not into research of chemical treatment of forests. I narrowly escaped this tree being quarantined by them since it is confined to my garden. Had it been a full grown tree, it would have been brought down by them, they said. I was told the tree could be quarantined only after I had sent the needles to them. I had been regretting that I had rather sent the needles to a private lab instead.

The tree was in sun light all along. It was under a transparent umbrella to prevent rains falling on it. I had replaced the fabric canopy of a large garden umbrella with a clear plastic. Just made sure it was fully lighted all along.

This summer I put it on a trolley and was giving it direct sunlight every morning and evening and only indirect/diffused sunlight during mid-day, like you get in polytunnel.