The humid weather, clay soils, and dry summers of the Great Lake State make it difficult The tree becomes unattractive and may look as though it is dying, but don’t despair. Needlecasts. While spring may have long passed, it might not be too late for your trees to benefit from fungicide treatment this year, as it may still provide some reduction in the spread of the fungus to healthy parts of the trees. This disease is the most common and most destructive needle cast in fir. Cyclaneusma (needle cast) is a fungal disease that is a part of the phylum, Ascomycota.It infects plants that are of pine classification. In larger trees, however, … Pathologists have observed trees with both Stigmina and Rhizosphaera … 1. Needlecast Disease of Spruce: One Possible Explanation for Browning Spruce Needles. Stigmina needle blight (Stigmina lautii) can also be found on spruce (Colorado, Norway and white) and appears as black, spikey-looking fruiting structures (sporodochia) pushing through stomates on green and reddish-brown needles. There are three principle types of diseases that affect blue spruce trees: needlecasts, tip blights and canker diseases. In Michigan, spruce trees are a powerful case in point. Quite often, the infected, symptomatic needles won’t drop until the following year. Rhizosphaera needle cast is a fungal disease of spruce trees that causes needles to turn brown and fall off. A common problem encountered on spruce trees is browning of the needles. It severely defoliates seedlings and young trees, reduces their growth, and may sometimes kill them. Distribution. Rhizosphaera and Stigmina, the two most common needle cast diseases of spruce trees, are treatable. The summer before last my Black Hills Spruce had a needle cast disease and shed quite a few needles. Since needle cast diseases are caused by various fungi, there may be slight variations in symptoms. Symptoms of needle cast disease. All of these diseases are caused by fungal pathogens and each produce specific symptoms that can be useful in diagnosing the problem. NEEDLE CAST DISEASE Keeping your trees healthy is a struggle under the best of circumstances, but it’s particularly difficult if they aren’t native to where you live. Only the newest, current year's growth stays green, as needles on branches become sparse … Symptoms of needle cast may vary, but often needles turn brown or purplish brown late in winter or early spring. The former is an infectious needle disease caused by … Trees can be protected from Rhizosphaera needle cast with properly timed fungicide applications. Needle cast diseases cause spruce trees to “cast off” their older needles and keep only the young needles at the tips of the branches. (Answer) Thank you for contacting Toronto Master Gardeners regarding your spruce trees that have been affected by Rhizosphaera needle cast. Needle Cast Symptoms. Needlecast diseases caused by fungal pathogens such Lophodermium, Rhabdocline, and Rhizosphaera cause these conifers to cast off large amounts of needles prematurely. Evergreen Tree Disease – Needle Cast. Common pine tree diseases include Rhizosphaera needle cast and Cytospora canker fungus. As the name implies, trees with needlecast diseases shed needles. Eastern Canada. There are a number of possible causes, but one that is frequently a problem in Manitoba is needle disease. It affected about two thirds of the trees and needles sluffed was from 5 percent to 33 percent with it not being very uniform. Needle cast diseases are tricky to diagnose and treat because the symptoms only become apparent 12 to 18 months after becoming infected. I estimate about 6 to 7 percent of the needles shed on all the trees. Damage, symptoms and biology. Trees stressed from drought, poor planting practices or other factors are more likely to suffer from Rhizosphaera needle cast. Needle. Older needles closer to the trunk of the tree become discolored and fall off mid-summer, leaving the tree looking thin and bare.