Crown and Cane Gall
Agrobacterium tumefaciens
14 host plants
Last updated
This profile contains verified disease data from extension databases. Regional field notes and expert review are in progress.
Crown and cane gall produces swollen, knobby growths at the soil line and on canes. You see rough, tumor-like enlargements that can girdle and kill plants. The bacterium causes this problem on many hosts. Remove infected plants to prevent spreading to healthy stock.
Use certified nursery stock from fields where gall has not been found. Inspect planting stock and do not plant new canes that show galls on canes, crowns, or roots.
Quick Reference
Management
First growing season after planting is the most severe infection period and can stunt or kill plants. Galls first appear in spring with warm weather and increase in size during summer. Infection occurs throughout the growing season whenever wounds are present. Crown and root injuries during dormant pruning and winter create entry points for spring infections." # Source: PNW Plant Disease Management Handbook (Raspberry - Crown and Cane Gall)
Presence of wounds is the primary trigger — both natural wounds (lateral root formation, leaf scars, winter injury) and mechanical wounds (pruning, training, harvesting). Warmer soil temperatures favor bacterial activity. Disease is more severe in the presence of root-lesion nematodes and root-attacking insects. Contaminated soil, irrigation water, and propagation material are infection sources." # Source: PNW Plant Disease Management Handbook (Raspberry - Crown and Cane Gall)
Cultural Controls
- Use certified nursery stock from fields where gall has not been found.
- Inspect planting stock and do not plant new canes that show galls on canes, crowns, or roots.
- Plant resistant cultivars.
- If only a few plants are infected, remove them from the field and destroy them.
- Establish new plantings on uninfested land wherever possible.
- Prune canes only during dry weather and frequently disinfect pruning equipment.