white pine blister rust

M

mark_sauls

What treatment options exist other than removing the diseased area? The tree is question is 40 dbh 130' showing signs of blister rust on the main stem at 35 ft. The noticeable area is about 30% of the diameter of the main trunk. Timing and treatment options would be apprecitated. If left unchecked the loss of this tree will have a major impact in the neighborhood/family of trees.
 
Are you sure that it's blister rust? From what i understand it's not common to have a canker that high on such a large tree. The spores enter through the foliage after being spewed from a ribes plant. Winds typically don't carry spores up that high which is why a preventative treatment is to remove lower branches on white pines.
Most trees that size have already long ago shed their lower branches making it super hard to get infected.


I haven't heard of any effective treatments. At least none that are commercially available in Canada. Can you get a sample from the canker and send it to a lab for ID?

vince
 
I think a positive ID with Cornell might be in order in this situation. I will have to check with them to see what they recommend for sample, timing etc. I will also take some pics in mid may when I revisit this tree. What got my attention is the pitch release and slight depression as viewed from a neighboring tree last fall. I had removed the top (dead from BR) 30 ft of another tree 70 yds away from this tree several years ago and WPBR is fairly common in Lake Plastic, NY.
 
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