Xtremehorticulture

Sap from Grapefruit Possibly Gummosis Disease

Q. I am having a problem with my grapefruit tree. The branches have some sap coming from them and the leaves are yellow. Sap coming from the branches of grapefruit tree could be Rio Grande Gummosis Disease which developed from winter freezing injury. A. The yellowing of the leaves usually indicates the soil is being kept too wet or a need for a specialty fertilizer such as iron. This is what the tree looks like with gumming on some branches. Notice that one of the branches has a lot of yellow leaves. Damage to branches can also lead to micronutrient deficiencies. I saw the sap coming from a stem in the picture you sent. This could be from a disease common to grapefruit that have suffered freeze damage during the winter. It is called Rio Grande Gummosis disease which can occur to grapefruit trees suffering from a past stress. A common stress is winter or freezing damage. Gum forms on the trunk or branches and causes blisters on the trunk. If you cut into the branch or trunk you can see pockets of gum under the bark. If you make a long cut into the wood through the blistered area and into fresh wood you may see a pinkish discoloration in the fresh wood. Most likely the tree will continue to decline if this is the case. I would remove the tree and find a warmer spot to grow citrus that does not have much winter wind. Wind makes winter freezing temperatures worse. I would also make sure the soil drains freely when water is applied and use wood chips as a surface mulch to help keep the soil healthy. You can read more about this disease on grapefruit here from the University of Arizona and copied below. Rio Grande Gummosis This name has been given to a gumming disease of mature citrus, particularly grapefruit, thought to be caused by several fungi, but no particular pathogen has been identified. Symptoms: Symptoms begin as narrow cracks in the bark of limbs and trunk in which a yellow, water soluble exudate accumulates. Gum formation on the trunk or branches and gum exudation from blisters on the trunk continues and forms gum pockets under the bark. The advancing margin of infection is orange to pink. Once sapwood is exposed, wood decay may begin. In later stages of disease, heart rot may also be prevalent. Control: Several factors have been identified as contributing to disease including freeze damage, poor drainage, and salt accumulation. Weakened and injured trees seem to be predisposed the disease. There is no control other than cultural practices that keep trees in vigorous condition. Good pruning practices that remove freeze damaged wood and encourage fast healing are the best way to prevent disease.

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Be Careful of Misdiagnosis of Sooty Canker

Q. Our flowering plums have been infected by what was diagnosed as “sooty canker” disease. Sooty canker on Apple They were treated by arborists but the blight continues. Infected limbs were cut until one of the trees needed to be removed entirely. I am advised this blight has become epidemic in Las Vegas Valley. Is there a solution to cure or at least treatment for sooty canker? A. Be careful on any diagnosis of sooty canker. There are a lot of natural things that can look like it and if you’ve never seen it before or don’t have much experience around it, it can be easily misdiagnosed. Sooty canker on poplar Sooty canker disease causes limb dieback and the bark of the dead limb to peel away revealing a black, sooty powder on the wood. When you take your finger and rub against this black powder it will come off on your finger and look just like soot from inside your chimney. There are other natural black “powders” on limbs which will also rub off on your finger. But sooty canker is jet black on your finger and unmistakable once you see it. I will post a picture of sooty canker on my finger on my blog so you can see what I’m talking about. Beginning of sooty canker on Mulberry I disagree, it is not an epidemic in Las Vegas. It attacks a small number of trees every year at about the same rate for the past 30 years. Many trees can become infected but we see it most frequently on Mulberry and Poplar (cottonwood) and occasionally on Ash and Elm. I don’t remember seeing it on truly desert trees such as Mesquite, Acacia or Palo Verde. It can be spread easily on pruning equipment if the equipment is not disinfected between cuts and between trees.  Be very careful when this is diagnosed. If a limb is dead, it is dead and must be removed. We don’t want to be removing limbs with the wrong diagnosis.

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