Pests of Specific Crops

Pest Description
Needle Cast (Cyclaneusma minus): Premature cast of 2
and 3-year old needles. Brown bands on
yellowing needles appear in late summer/fall.
White fungal fruiting bodies develop within
the bands about one month later. These release
spores in winter and early spring which cause
new infections, although needles will not show
symptoms until fall.
Needle Cast (Lophodermella spp.): Needles turn
reddish-brown in spring then straw-coloured.
Fungal fruiting bodies, usually black but
sometimes colourless, appear on the infected
needles. Spores cause new infections from bud
break until new growth ceases, in periods of
wet weather.
Needle Cast (Elytroderma deformans): Affects only 2-
and 3-needled pines, mainly ornamentals.
Needles turn reddish-brown in spring fading to
tan or grey in fall before dropping. Black,
elongated, fungal fruiting bodies develop on
infected needles in summer and release spores
in the fall, or the next spring, causing new
infections. Twig infections produce a “witches’
broom”.
(Scirrhia) Needle Blight (Mycosphaerella pini
(Dothistroma septospora)): Yellow spots on
needles enlarge to form a red band. Needles
die back from the tips above the band. Disease
usually spreads from the base of the tree
upward. Black, fungal fruiting bodies appear
on needles, which are cast prematurely.
Scleroderris Canker (Gremmeniella abietina): Does not
occur in BC. Causes shoot blight and cankers
on pines and Balsam fir in Eastern N. America.
Chemical Control
(rate per 100 L water; or per
unit area if indicated)
Fungicide applications are often
ineffective, since spores can
infect needles whenever the
temperature is above freezing.
Fungicides applied for
Lophodermium needle cast (above)
should also control Lophodermella.
Apply fungicides at bud break
and again about one month later.
Fungicides have been shown to
be generally ineffective for
control of this disease. None are
specifically registered.
BRAVO Ultrex 90 SDG: 5.2
kg/ha
COPPER SPRAY 50: 400 g
May cause needle spotting; apply
under fast drying conditions.
DACONIL 2787F: 9.5 L/ha
DACONIL Ultrex: 5.75 kg/ha
DACONIL 2787F: 2.4-4.8 L/ha
BRAVO Ultrex 90 SDG: 1.3-2.7 kg/ha
DACONIL Ultrex: 1.45-2.9 kg/ha
Cultural Management
Reduce water and
nutritional stress, control
weeds and space trees for
good air circulation.
Control weeds and space
trees for good air
circulation.
Landscape Trees:
Remove infected needles
and rake up and destroy
fallen ones.
Prune out and destroy
“witches’ brooms”. Rake
up and burn, bury or
compost old needles.
Replace severely infected
trees with resistant
species.
Do not plant near diseased
trees. Remove lowest
branches. Control weeds
and space trees for good
air circulation.
Landscape trees: Remove
infected needles, rake up
fallen needles and burn,
bury or compost.
See Federal Plant
Quarantine Regulations:
Comment 14, Chapter 2.
Seedling Blight (Sirococcus conigenus): See under PICEA and General Disease Management: Sirococcus Blight, Chapter 9.
Western Gall Rust (Endocronartium harknessii): No See General Disease Management: Western Gall Rust, Chapter 9.
alternate host is required for this rust fungus.
Rough, globular galls appear on branches or
trunk several years after the infection occurred.
Fungus is orange when fruiting. Infects hard
pines (2- and 3-needled pines) such as lodgepole,
mugho, Austrian, Scots and ponderosa.
White Pine Blister Rust (Cronartium ribicola): This Chemical control is considered to be impractical on pines.
rust attacks only 5-needled pines. Alternate
hosts are currants and gooseberries. The rust Management: Do not grow 5-needled pines in Coastal BC, the
attacks the living bark and cambium of white West Kootenays, or Northern Vancouver Island. Do not grow
pine. First year symptoms of infection are currants or gooseberries in Interior BC where Ribes are
blisters with secretions of pitch. In subsequent common. See General Disease Management: Rusts, Chapter 9.
years, bright orange fungal spores appear in
May on the rust cankers. Cankers eventually
kill the infected branches.
Nursery Production Guide Pests of Specific Crops • 27