Diseases such as the Blue Stain Fungus infect trees from the inside out due to inoculation by host insects. Are there any effective/standard methods for applying antifungal compounds to infected trees?
Asked
Active
Viewed 98 times
1 Answers
3
In short, no. At the moment, as I'm sure you know, the only way of handling this infection is to try to prevent it in the first place. Over time, and with research, someone might come up with a way of treating infected trees, but its always harder when fungus is the problem and not bacteria. Current methods of preventing infection with blue fungus are more to do with wood products, such as wood chips, on which they're experimenting with inoculation by a different fungus first, so clearly, research is happening. Horse Chestnut bleeding canker is spreading widely and is a real problem, but after research, there is a new treatment with allicin, which is injected in solution, that seems to work, which demonstrates that new methods are sometimes found to deal with new infections. However, that particular infection is bacterial, not fungal. There has certainly not been any progress in trying to find a way to defeat Hymenoscyphus pseudoalbidus (Chalara fraxinea), the fungus which is causing Ash Dieback Disease, so the hope for a solution is slim.
-
2To say nothing of *Ceratocystus ulmi* or as it's now known, *Ophiostoma ulmi* Poor elm trees. – Wayfaring Stranger Jul 09 '15 at 11:19
-
Good point, that one's been around a lot longer and still no treatment... – Bamboo Jul 09 '15 at 11:57