Gandoderma lucidum

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treevet

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Looked at this Pin oak a couple of hours ago. The HO wants to keep the tree if all possible. It is between their house and pool and has a full healthy canopy except where some 5 inch plus dia. limbs have been removed relative to the infection.

With them willing to accept the risk, the infection just apparent this year and a trunk sounding giving no impression of extensive decay, we will monitor the infection (likely much more localized than the fruiting bodies would suggest) and do some relatively inexpensive cultural treatments.

"The presence of fruiting bodies alone is usually not reason for removal."......"However, infected trees often eventually fail as the decay progresses." (Wood Decay Fungi, Christopher J. Luley, Ph.D.)
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Any comments?
 
Sounds reasonable, to me. Will you be excavating down to the infection and having a look see? pictures. What kinds of cultural adjustments will you be billing for?
 
Yeah, Woodweasel, (like to hear your ideas too)...... I will excavate to check the integrity of the buttress root/s involved, but it is very early in this infection and worries and inspections will have to increase in quantity and quality as time passes. This oak is not very tall or wide and there is little or no chance of impending failure.

Thought I would vertical mulch with some pea gravel and humus and maybe inject water it if we have dry periods yet this year. It has been very unusually wet here thru this summer and this has likely aided the infection along with maybe a lawnmower bump. This is a high foot traffic area being between the pool and house and the house is not that old maybe saying the soil has been compromised in quality and compacted. Probably will monitor insect involvement and knock them off, if an issue too.

This white rot has altered wood but delignification by enzymes prob has not occurred much yet. Hopefully the tree can compart. some of the infection as it is quite healthy, and callus in spots.

Studies by Alcubilla et al. (1971, 1987) showed reduced defense responses against infection....when excessive nitrogen fertilizer was applied. In urban situations especially, investigations by Balder (1994) revealed nitrogen enrichment in the subsoil ......can lead to higher rates of degradation by fungi or caused increased disposition for decay.....(Fungal Strategies of Wood Decay in Trees, Schwarze, Engels, Mattheck)

Not going to be fertilizing.

Didn't get the go ahead yet but will take a pict or two if I do. Expect to get it as I come to find the HO's bro. was an old high school drinking buddy of mine. Could work against me tho as memory of who I might have offended 40 years ago while living the life of a lush has proven to be inaccurate at times.

I gave them photo copies of the description/pictures of Ganoderma spp. next to pictures I have posted and this should get me an inside track on the less knowledgeable competition I would think.
 
Treevet, you mention large limbs were taken off relative to this infection. Could you get a picture with location in the tree? Are they spread around the canopy or "stacked" in a line on one side? Is this why you are thinking root degradation is limited at this point?

Pin oaks, Quercus palustris, are not great compartmentalizers. And I would definitely think if the house and pool were put in after its existance, construction damage is a given. Many people just don't realize how long that can take to show up.

How far away is everything? Pool from tree, house from tree, any other structures around?

Looking forward to more pictures.

Sylvia
 
Treevet, you mention large limbs were taken off relative to this infection. Could you get a picture with location in the tree? Are they spread around the canopy or "stacked" in a line on one side? Is this why you are thinking root degradation is limited at this point?

They are in a direct line above each other and above the infection. The remainder of the base of the tree is without flaw.

Pin oaks, Quercus palustris, are not great compartmentalizers. And I would definitely think if the house and pool were put in after its existance, construction damage is a given. Many people just don't realize how long that can take to show up.

I may have mistakenly referred to this house/development as new. I should have said "not old" as my house was built in the early thirties. I would guess this house to have been built in the late 60's early 70's so construction damage is not an issue. Tree prob. went in with the house. Oak was maybe 10 years old planted making it in the realm of 50 ish. It is a Pin oak after all. White oak this size would be maybe 20 or 30 years older. My point was that the soil is not likely of the character of an older established nborhood like mine.

I will follow up with more if they give me the job Sylvia.

WOUNDS.....it just cannot be said too strongly how significant they are and how quickly they bring on havoc.

Even injection wounds, or even smaller borer wounds, which often are a carrier/vector for infection. I have injected many trees for various reasons and do not push the treatment. I go back to the beginning of injections. I give the client all the info and they decide....BUT.....when it comes to my own trees...

like my 80 foot Quercus palustrus that I treasure right in front of my own house and have considered treatment with injections.....I just cannot do it. The trunk is pristine, and why compromise it.....why open it up to infection?? Why take the chance?

My neighbor had me plant a Red bud 2 years ago and a fall. We worked there today. The tree has been perfect and gorgeous. Then last Sept. we are hit with a hurricane. A co dom splits and I cut one side off (no chance for support). Here we are just 5 months into the growing season and the other half of the co dom flags and later wilts entirely. In just that short opportunity..

pathogens have identified this weakened stem (odors in the phloem?), there are sunken cankers all over it and it dies. The rest of the tree is perfect still and hopefully will stay that way and wall off the origin of the infection.

I had a fastigate oak I planted in the tree lawn below my house. I nursed it through the first growing seasons (3 years) hand carrying water down to it every 4 days during the summer and knocking leaf eaters and leafsuckers off it. Then one day my contracted lawn service bumps it. Within a week it is riddled with borer holes that seep and a week later it is dead.

Point being that wounding is a huge thing. I sit in my UFB meetings while the other 6 members ramble on about this and that and no one wants to listen to me about what a huge deal the lawnmower wounds and stringtrimmer strikes are. We have huge old trees in our upper middle class town but all the small trees live about 10 years. Riding a lawn tractor between row trees and a little bump by the 1000 lb vehicle....infection. Get their lazy asses of the machine and hand mow..? no way. Heck, a 4 inch wound is 50 percent of the conductive tissue of some of the trees.

How far away is everything? Pool from tree, house from tree, any other structures around?

The pool and house are out of the drip line of the oak. I can see people getting out of the pool and running around the tree while wet and compacting tho.
 
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Studies by Alcubilla et al. (1971, 1987) showed reduced defense responses against infection....when excessive nitrogen fertilizer was applied. In urban situations especially, investigations by Balder (1994) revealed nitrogen enrichment in the subsoil ......can lead to higher rates of degradation by fungi or caused increased disposition for decay.....(Fungal Strategies of Wood Decay in Trees, Schwarze, Engels, Mattheck)

Perhaps you could let your clients know about the conflicts between caring for the tree and maintaining such a green and weed free lawn.

Increasing the mulch ring with a soil fracturing tool will help keep some of these chemicals from affecting the tree and serve the ancillary benefit of allowing a larger area of invigoration over trenching.

I gave them photo copies of the description/pictures of Ganoderma spp. next to pictures I have posted and this should get me an inside track on the less knowledgeable competition I would think.

:agree2:
 
Perhaps you could let your clients know about the conflicts between caring for the tree and maintaining such a green and weed free lawn.

Increasing the mulch ring with a soil fracturing tool will help keep some of these chemicals from affecting the tree and serve the ancillary benefit of allowing a larger area of invigoration over trenching.

Yes to both opinions but maybe inadvisable to tear out back lawn while tree may teeter in a marginal state. Def. on pretty and similar uninfected front yard tree (pin oak). I am gonna bid that if I get in there.

thanks for feedback WW
 
Dave, interesting job--hope you get it

Are you sure that:

the sighting of conks is an indication of extent of decay? not reliable

this is not construction damage? if you get the utilities marked (free) you may get a huge surprise.

stem wounds have anything to do with this? ganoderma often comes in via infected roots.

there should not be a strength loss assessment sooner than later?

Also,

did you bid the rcx separately? it's both a step in diagnosis--should be asap-- and a cultural treatment.

have you cored or otherwise inspected the bottom half of the tree (rootzone) yet?

How can branch death be attributable to butt rot, if there is no infection in the trunk connecting the two? Dunno; just asking.

re informing client and letting them see that you know this stuff, you are welcome to print out the 2 dendro articles on the ganoderma-infected pecan for them.

They talk about the same kind of options that you are.

Good Luck! :)
 
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