Texas Plant Disease Diagnostic Lab-
WHAT Wednesday Videos
Category Archives: PLANT HOST
Stress, fungal pathogen(s) or both?
Mid-September 2015 The last four weeks, I got at least 3 questions regarding why junipers or pines are dying. Often the story is that there is one or two plants that are affected in amongst a bunch of trees. Symptoms usually begins with several branches exhibiting die-back, gradually gets worse.Some narrative states that the plant appear to die quickly one the dieback started. SO what is going on…. I remember back in 2007… The scenario = 2005/2006 hard drought years and 2007 wet spring, mild temperature thru… Read More →
Why are the leaves falling?
In the past few weeks, I have been getting calls about poor looking and unhealthy oak trees… all kinds of oaks (mostly live, red and post). In the last 7 days, I think I got at least 3 phone calls asking about post oaks loosing their leaves. I hear panic and worry. At home, I look to Mr. Tree. Mr. Tree is our post oak (a name affectionately given by the wife to describe the tree to our youngling). The home that we have is about 14 years… Read More →
Beauty is Only Skin Deep
The definition of beauty has become a rather obsessive paradigm that has affected present society. It is a constant desire to reach what is perceived to be “perfection.” This infectious ideal has given rise to profitable industries of cosmetics, heavy research of youth enhancing serums, even to the extent of affecting our perspective of healthy food products. The slightest blemish or spot on a fruit may discourage fellow consumers, potentially preventing their purchase and leaving the fruit to rot in the produce isle. What a waste. One such… Read More →
Are Lichens Killing Your Trees?
One of the most common mutualistic relationships in the plant world is that of lichens. Made up of one part filamentous fungi and one part algae or blue-green bacteria, lichens are not considered a “true species.” The unique combination results in a very hardy, weather-tolerant, and genetically diverse group of Nitrogen fixers that is practically self-sufficient. The fungal partner cannot survive alone, but instead thrives on the availability of photosynthetic products provided by the algae or bacteria. Lichens are common pioneers on trees, shrubs, soil, and even… Read More →
Cladoptosis: An interesting phenomenon
Cladoptosis is a process in which trees shed their branches or “self-prune” as part of their normal physiology or in response to stress through the formation of an abcission layer at the branch base. Sources of stress which may contribute to this shedding include drought, soil and root compaction, or presence of disease. In the case of certain tree species, however, none of these factors need be present in order for Cladoptosis to occur. For some tree species, including larches, pines, poplars, willows, maples, walnut, ashes, bald cypress, and oaks,… Read More →
