Soil Effects Mediate Interaction of Dogwood Anthracnose and Acidic Precipitation

Abstract

Dogwood anthracnose is a fungal disease caused by Discula destructiva Redlin. It was first reported in 1976 (Byther et al., 1979), and spread rapidly throughout the range of the Pacific dogwood(Cornus nuttallii Audubon) on the west coast. The disease was found in 1978 in New York, and swept through the eastern flowering dogwood (Cornus florida L.) population as far south as northern Alabama in just fifteen years (Redlin, 1991). This rapid spread led to speculation that the fungus may be exotic (Redlin, 1991), but D. destructivahas not been found elsewhere. Another theory is that such environmental factors as hard winters or air pollution, may have increased dogwood susceptibility (Hibben and Daughtrey, 1988; Hudler, 1985).

Citation

Britton, Kerry O.; Berrang, Paul C.; Mavity, Erika. 1998. Soil Effects Mediate Interaction of Dogwood Anthracnose and Acidic Precipitation. Mickler, Fox, ed.The Productivity & Sustainability of Southern Forest Ecosystems in a Changing Environment.