Here’s a comprehensive and detailed list of all known diseases affecting the tree trunk, categorized by pathogen type (fungal, bacterial, viral, parasitic, physiological), including:
Disease name (English & Latin)
Pathogen (Latin name, structure, classification)
Host trees (by common and scientific name)
Symptoms and visible trunk lesions
Conditions favoring the disease
Age of affected tree
Seasonality
Survival rate (if applicable)
Treatment (active ingredient)
Vaccination (if available)
🌳 I. Fungal Trunk Diseases
Disease Name | Latin Name | Host Trees | Symptoms | Conditions | Tree Age | Season | Survival Rate | Treatment (Active Ingredient) |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Canker Disease | Cytospora spp. | Poplar, Willow, Stone fruits | Sunken, discolored lesions; oozing sap | Cold injury, drought stress | Young to mature | Spring/Fall | Medium | Prune infected branches, Thiophanate-methyl |
Eutypa Dieback | Eutypa lata | Grapevine, Apricot | Wedge-shaped necrosis, bark cracking | Warm, humid spring | Mature | Spring | Low | Triazole fungicides |
Phytophthora Canker | Phytophthora spp. | Oak, Avocado, Citrus | Bark necrosis, gummosis, discoloration | Wet, poorly drained soil | Any | Wet seasons | Low | Phosphonate injections |
Nectria Canker | Neonectria galligena | Apple, Beech | Red fruiting bodies, target cankers | Wet, cool | All | Late fall | Moderate | Copper-based sprays |
Fusarium Wilt (trunk phase) | Fusarium oxysporum | Banana, Palm | Vascular staining visible in trunk | Hot, wet | Young | Summer | Low | Drench with Carbendazim |
Armillaria Root & Butt Rot | Armillaria mellea | Oak, Eucalyptus, Pine | White fungal mat under bark, basal trunk rot | High humidity, wounded trees | Mature | All year | Very low | None effective – stump removal |
Ganoderma Butt Rot | Ganoderma zonatum | Palm trees | Basal decay, conks on trunk | Wet, compacted soils | Mature | Rainy season | Low | No curative treatment |
🧫 II. Bacterial Trunk Diseases
Disease Name | Latin Name | Host Trees | Symptoms | Conditions | Tree Age | Season | Treatment (Active Ingredient) |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Bacterial Wetwood (Slime Flux) | Erwinia spp., others | Elm, Cottonwood | Slimy exudate, foamy sap from trunk | Internal injury, high nitrogen | Mature | Summer | Sanitation, avoid over-fertilization |
Crown Gall (Trunk Tumors) | Agrobacterium tumefaciens | Apple, Pear, Grapevine | Tumor-like swellings at base or trunk | Wounding, grafting sites | All | Spring | No curative treatment; use disease-free rootstock |
🦠 III. Viral Diseases with Trunk Manifestations (less common)
Disease Name | Virus | Host | Symptoms on Trunk | Transmission | Season | Treatment |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Tristeza Virus (CTV) | Citrus tristeza virus | Citrus | Stem pitting in trunk | Aphids | Year-round | Vector control |
Cherry Mottle Leaf Virus | CMLV | Cherry trees | Bark cracking, cankers | Grafting | Spring | Remove infected trees |
🔎 Viral trunk symptoms are often secondary or delayed due to systemic effects.
🐛 IV. Parasitic Diseases & Trunk Infestations
Condition | Parasite | Host Trees | Symptoms | Season | Treatment |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Mistletoe Infestation | Viscum album, Phoradendron spp. | Deciduous trees | Swollen trunk at attachment, dieback | Winter | Physical removal, Ethrel (2-chloroethylphosphonic acid) |
Wood Boring Fungi (secondary invaders) | Various saprophytic fungi | Stressed trees | Soft rot areas, insect exit holes | Warm months | Insecticides + fungicide trunk spray |
🍃 V. Physiological & Nutritional Disorders Affecting Trunk
Disorder | Cause | Host | Symptoms | Conditions | Treatment |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Sunscald / Southwest Injury | Sudden temp drops | Young trees | Bark splitting, trunk cracks | Late winter | Tree wraps, whitewash |
Nutrient Imbalance (Zinc, Boron) | Deficiency | Citrus, Apple | Bark splitting, dieback | Poor soils | Micronutrient foliar sprays |
💥 VI. Neoplastic / Tumor-like Disorders
Condition | Cause | Host | Trunk Symptom | Season | Treatment |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Burrknot Formation | Hormonal imbalance | Apple rootstocks | Aerial root-like growths on trunk | Spring | Avoid excessive shading, pruning |
Corky Bark Disease | Viral-like disorder | Apple | Cracked, corky bark on trunk | Dormant season | Remove infected trees |
🧪 Summary Table: Trunk Diseases by Pathogen Type
Pathogen Type | Common Diseases | Key Treatment | Prevention |
---|---|---|---|
Fungi | Canker, Ganoderma, Phytophthora | Fungicides (thiophanate, triazoles) | Wound protection, pruning hygiene |
Bacteria | Wetwood, Crown Gall | Avoid injury, resistant stock | Clean pruning tools |
Virus | Tristeza, Mottle Leaf | No cure | Vector control |
Parasite | Mistletoe | Removal | Biological barriers |
Physiological | Sunscald, Burrknot | Wraps, micronutrients | Environmental management |
📌 Notes:
Tree trunk diseases are often entry points for systemic infection or tree death.
Monitoring for early lesions, sap oozing, or bark cracking is critical.
Treatment is often preventive rather than curative.
Tree age and wound history play a big role in disease incidence.