Fungal Cankers

Although bacterial

36 host plants

Last updated

Data Maturity Baseline

This profile contains verified disease data from extension databases. Regional field notes and expert review are in progress.

You see branch dieback and sunken cankers on cherry or plum, with flag shoots where stem infections girdle limbs. Cytospora and other fungal cankers follow sunscald or winter injury on stressed trees. Prune out dead wood well below visible disease, avoid season-end wounding, and manage irrigation and fertilization for steady, not excessive, growth.

Remove dead branches, cutting well below (at least 1 ft) any visible discoloration in the bark. Infected material should be removed from the orchard and destroyed if possible.

Quick Reference

Causal Agent
Although bacterial
Host Plants
36

Management

Cultural Controls

  • Remove dead branches, cutting well below (at least 1 ft) any visible discoloration in the bark.
  • Infected material should be removed from the orchard and destroyed if possible.
  • Do not establish new orchards close to or downwind from badly diseased orchards.
  • Treetop or other hedgerow pruning and overhead irrigation are not advised where the disease is a problem.
  • Take special care to avoid wounding trees during the growing season.
  • Tractors and sprayers commonly inflict such wounds, as do shakers, ladders, and pickers' feet.

Host Plants (36)

Prunus americana Wild Plum American (Red) Plum August Plum, Goose Plum Prunus armeniaca Apricot Prunus avium Sweet Cherry Prunus besseyi Sand Cherry, Western Sand Cherry Prunus blireiana Blireiana Plum Prunus caroliniana Carolina Cherrylaurel American Cherrylaurel Prunus cascade Prunus cascade Prunus cerasifera Cherry, Plum Prunus cistena Purpleleaf Sandcherry Redleaf Sandcherry Cistena Sandcherry Cistena Plum Prunus dream Prunus dream Prunus emarginata Bitter Cherry, Wild Cherry, Quinine Cherry Prunus first Prunus first Prunus fruticosa Steppe Cherry, European Dwarf Ground Cherry, Mongolian Cherry Prunus glandulosa Dwarf Flowering Almond Prunus ilicifolia Hollyleaf Cherry, Holly-leaved Cherry Prunus laurocerasus Cherry, Laurel Prunus lusitanica Portugal Laurel Prunus maackii Amur Chokecherry Amur Cherry, Manchurian Cherry Prunus mume Japanese Apricotc Japanese Flowering Apricot Japanese Flowering Plum Prunus newport Newport Flowering Plum Prunus okame Okame Flowering Cherry Prunus padus European Birdcherry Common Birdcherry Prunus prostrata Rock Cherry, Mountain Cherry Prunus sargentii Sargent Cherry, Sargent's Cherry Prunus serotina Black Cherry, Rum Cherry Prunus serrula Birchbark Cherry, Paperbark Cherry, Tibetan Cherry Prunus serrulata Japanese Flowering Cherry Prunus snow Prunus snow Prunus subcordata Klamath Plum, Sierra Plum, Pacific Plum Prunus subhirtella Higan Cherry Prunus subhirtella var. autumnalis Autumn Flowering Higan Cherry Prunus tai Prunus tai Prunus virginiana Prunus virginiana Prunus virginiana var. demissa Western Chokecherry Prunus virginiana var. virginiana Common Chokecherry, Eastern Chokecherry Prunus yedoensis Yoshino Cherry, Somei-yoshino Cherry, Tokyo Cherry