Bacterial leaf scorch confirmed in Franklin County, OH
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Earlier this fall, a White Oak sample from a Franklin County community tested positive for Bacterial Leaf Scorch, Xylella fastidiosa. Bacterial Leaf Scorch (BLS) is a chronic and eventually fatal disease that displays its most noticeable symptoms in late summer/early fall. These symptoms include premature leaf browning, marginal necrosis, and defoliation. The symptoms typically begin at the leaf margins and migrate to the midrib of the leaf. The following year the tree leafs out normally, but leaves on a few more branches turn prematurely brown in late summer. This will be repeated over a period of years until the entire tree turns prematurely brown and dieback will occur. Since this can be easily confused with other disorders, it is best to have the suspect tree tested by collecting samples. Below are three Web sites to help you become more familiar with this disease: US Forest Service BLS is seriously affecting urban forests in New Jersey and Delaware, and because of the positive find in Franklin County, the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) Division of Forestry will conduct a statewide BLS survey in late summer/early fall 2010. Lisa Bowers, the Central Ohio Regional Urban Forester, who is temporarily helping the Forest Health Program, will coordinate this effort. Because the time to collect leaf samples is quite narrow, Lisa will require help. The samples that are collected will be sent off for specialized testing. Sample packaging can be obtained through the ODNR Division of Forestry. For now, if you have questions about the survey, please Email Lisa Bowers. |
