scotty16
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Joined: Tue Sep 18, 2012 1:05 pm
Location: Virginia

Braeburn Apple Tree has Black Growth on Bark Near Base

This is a 3 year old Braeburn Apple tree. It is in pretty poor shape and has a black growth on the bark near the base. Is there a product I can use to save it? Could I cut it back below the bad spot and have it survive? I have attached several photos.
Thanks,
Scotty

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!potatoes!
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Location: wnc - zones 6/7 line

is that new growth below the blackness, coming from above or below the graft? that'll decide if you could cut it there or not (and still have it be a braeburn tree)...except...looks like more black stuff at the very base in the farther-out picture. guess we need an id on the black stuff to decide. if it's fire blight, it's probably to far gone...something else (other fungal infection and insect damage), it might be treatable.

JONA878
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Hi Scotty.

There are several things it could be so....
First, and I hope that this is the problem, it looks as if it may be a layer of fungus growing on damage that has been caused by some insect etc.
Try scraping the surface with a knife. if it comes away and leaves a clean surface beneath then thats all it is.
The tree may well grow on and recovor on its own.
However if it doesn't then that is one big area to have a true desease infection.
It could be as Potatoes says a dose of Fire Blight although the leaves look ok and they usually show the first signs of this.

Does the damage go right through the bark to the cambium layer. If not then the tree is fighting back on its own.

Check for Collar Rot fungus by cutting a piece of the damage off and smelling it. A distinct smell of vinigar gives this one away. That amount of Collar Rot damage would be a death nell I'm afraid.
If it should by this re-plant well away from the site if possable as it a soil born pathogen.

The last one is Canker itself.
Again that's a big area to have such a problem and to save the tree.

Both the last two can respond to copper based sprays but on such a small trunk under such an attack its fingers crossed I'm afraid.

scotty16
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Joined: Tue Sep 18, 2012 1:05 pm
Location: Virginia

Potatoes and Jona,
Thanks for the quick response! I picked up a copper solution and will check on the tree this afternoon. I wish I would have seen this issue earlier but the farm is a ways from the house and I don't check on the trees as often as I should.

Thanks,
Scotty



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