arborist South Bend

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South Bend tree service
Diseases that Affect Trees March 01,
2022 Despite trees being a source of medicine
and herbs that treat diseases and wounds, they
are also prone to infections. Like other living
organisms, these diseases can be diagnosed and
treated accordingly. Trees can be affected by
various diseases such as bacterial, fungal,
viral, parasitic, insect or nematode infections.
These diseases may cause the tree's death or lead
to its decline in health. Diseases that Affect
Trees Here we have listed 3 of the major
categories of the most common diseases that
affect trees 1) Bacterial Diseases
Bacteria are one of the most common causes of
plant disease. They are microscopic
single-celled organisms that grow fast. The
bacteria are usually found on dead leaves,
bark, branches, twigs, roots, and soil. Bacterial
diseases can be divided into two categories -
systemic and non- systemic. Systemic illnesses
spread through the entire body of the plant,
while non-systemic diseases attack only specific
parts of the plants.
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• Common bacterial diseases include black spot,
  bacterial leaf blight, damping-off, crown gall,
  fire blight, gray mold, root rot, Septoria Leaf
  Spot, Sudden Oak Death Syndrome (SOD), white
  rot, etc.
• The symptoms that could let you know it's a
  bacterial disease include
• Darkening of the foliage
• Yellowing of the leaves
• Stem dieback
• Branch dieback
• Foliage drop
• Wilt
• Brown spots on the leaves
• Bacterial diseases in trees can be treated using
  fungicides, pesticides, biological control
  agents, and antibiotics. However, if the problem
  is severe, then pruning should help.

Another group of microscopic organisms that grow
real fast is fungi. They are usually present on
decaying matter and infected wood. Common fungi
include powdery mildew, rust, anthracnose, brown
blotch, blue stain, etc. Symptoms that could
indicate a fungal infection include a)
Water-soaked lesions on the leaves
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• Severe wilting
• Blackened areas on the leaves
• Fungicide sprays, fungal oils, copper-based
  products, sulfur, and lime sulfur are some
  treatments available for fungal-based diseases
  attacking a tree.
• 3) Viral Diseases

Viruses are tiny infectious agents that replicate
inside the cells of their host organism. They are
responsible for causing many different kinds of
diseases. They are nucleopolyhedrovirus,
cauliflower mosaic virus, tobacco mosaic virus,
potato virus X, tomato bushy stunt virus,
cucumber mosaic virus, etc. The main symptom
caused by viruses is the yellowing of the leaves.
Other symptoms include stunted growth, deformed
leaves, distorted flowers, mottled leaves,
necrosis, premature senescence, withering,
etc. Viral diseases in trees are the most
troublesome to eliminate because viruses do not
respond to treatment because they mutate quickly.
Therefore, there is no cure available for these
diseases. The best way is to cut off all the
infected parts of the tree and dispose of them
properly. Conclusion Diseases are common in
trees just like they are to human beings
therefore, regularly checking the trees is
essential. This is especially important to
monitor their health. If you notice any changes
or symptoms on your trees, immediately contact
your local arborist for advice on dealing with
the situation. The earlier you take action, the
better. Early disease detection could save your
trees!