Cytospora (Leucostoma) Canker


General Description

Management

Cultural Control

Management of cytospora canker requires an integrated approach relying on preventative measures.

  • Maintain trees in a vigorous state with optimal fertilization and irrigation.

  • Prune during mid- to late-winter when inoculum levels are lower.

  • Encourage rapid healing of pruning wounds by cutting branches just beyond the ridge of the thickened bark which connects them to larger limbs. Do not leave pruning stubs.

  • Train trees to develop wide crotch angles.

  • Summer pruning results in many wounds that can be infected by cytospora canker. Summer prune in dry weather and allow time for pruning wounds to heal before using overhead sprinklers.

  • Remove dead branches and branches with sporulating cankers.

  • Use preventative measures to minimize winter injury, sunburn, rodent damage and insect damage.

  • Do not plant new blocks of stone fruit next to old cankered blocks. Nursery stock should be canker free and protected from wood boring insects such as peach tree borer.

  • Consider the effects of irrigation systems on disease development when planning new orchards. E.g. Drip or microsprinkler irrigation would result in less disease pressure than overheads.

Chemical Control

There are no fungicides registered in Canada for the control of cytospora canker on stone or pome fruit.  However, if using Inspire Super (apple and pear only) for apple scab or powdery mildew, or Senator for powdery mildew, they may also provide some preventative suppression of fungal cankers.

Updated February, 2017