Cytospora Infection

an infectious disease that causes fruit and forest trees to become desiccated. Plants of the family Amygdalaceae (apricot, peach) are particularly severely affected. The disease occurs everywhere; its causative agents are fungi of the genus Cytospora. In amygdalaceous plants necrotic and somewhat sunken areas form and exude gum on the bark of the trunk and large branches. The periderm, bast, and lignin are also injured. The affected branches or trees die in spring or early summer. In pip-fruit trees infection is manifested by the withering of isolated areas of bark or of whole branches; pycnidia (reproductive organs of the causative agent) form on the affected organs. Forest trees affected by the disease lose their bark. Control measures include the destruction of withered branches and trees, protection of trees against mechanical and thermal injuries, and spraying stone-fruit trees with a bordeaux mixture in early spring and fall.