saprobic G.applanatum?

[Dean O]

didn't know whether to tag this question onto Hama's Gano thread so my appologies.

 

visited a lovely HC today.

 

no sign of pseudomonas, a little leaf miner (but very little for these parts)

good healthy crown, no peripheral dieback (suggesting little disfunction)....

 

but with these two considerable brackets

 

my first thoughts are that they are applanatum associated with localised damage on this part (tension side) of the stem (approx 2m from GL) and that the Gano is feeding on the wood in this damaged area alone - saprophytically (if this is actually a word).

the tree seems to be putting on adequate reactive growth - but HC being HC...

 

I dont like to knee jerk to say fell and I'd be rather upset to remove this tree only to find that it was unnesesary on disection (as would the client).

 

its a dificult one to answer, i know, without microscopy and possibly a resistograph but its close to a road and a building..... so whats your opinions

 

many thanks

[Tony Croft aka hamadryad]

you got australe by the looks, and on horse chestnut thats a serious issue, one of the most serious issues we face in mycology assesment of trees.

 

you would need confirmation via a spore identification, 50 quid from the forestry commision

 

not ime to pussy foot, get a core if you can, i would bet thats well gone, and g australe eats horse in no time! it may have taken years to this point, but now its reached the point of no return, and the fruiting bodies appear to be retracting, smaller spore layer under the old one, not good

Edited September 7, 2011 by Tony Croft aka hamadryad

[Tony Croft aka hamadryad]

I was dreading the day this would come up, i knew it would, and its just a no win scenario

[Dean O]

darn it - was hoping it wasnt australe - specially since its on HC.

so given that the crown seems in good vigour i assume its approach is destroying the supportive tissue but not the conductive tissue.

[Tony Croft aka hamadryad]

darn it - was hoping it wasnt australe - specially since its on HC.

so given that the crown seems in good vigour i assume its approach is destroying the supportive tissue but not the conductive tissue.

 

yes, when you dissect it it will look like this IF its G australe

 

 

 

[Dean O]

do you mind if i use these pictures to illustrate the potential risk to the client.

an absolute ID on the fb would be best but i cant easily get back to the tree due to distance and work load

[Tony Croft aka hamadryad]

do you mind if i use these pictures to illustrate the potential risk to the client.

an absolute ID on the fb would be best but i cant easily get back to the tree due to distance and work load

 

Of course you can, you can tell them that this HC G. australe combination is lethal and acurate fungal identification is vital and it must be done as quickly as possible

 

HC has no resistance to this aggressive fungi

[Dean O]

what, in your opinion, would the outcome be if its applanatum - I appreciate that on a good compartmentaliser such as oak it may be a different story - but HC and applanatum? would a vigorous hc be able to wall up despite its generally unreactive heartwood (or have i answered my own question)

[Tony Croft aka hamadryad]

what, in your opinion, would the outcome be if its applanatum - I appreciate that on a good compartmentaliser such as oak it may be a different story - but HC and applanatum? would a vigorous hc be able to wall up despite its generally unreactive heartwood (or have i answered my own question)

 

I reckon one will buy you time, the other will land you in court:blushing:

[Fungus]

you got australe by the looks, and on horse chestnut thats a serious issue, one of the most serious issues we face in mycology assesment of trees.

you would need confirmation via a spore identification, 50 quid from the forestry commision

not ime to pussy foot, get a core if you can, i would bet thats well gone, and g australe eats horse in no time! it may have taken years to this point, but now its reached the point of no return, and the fruiting bodies appear to be retracting, smaller spore layer under the old one, not good

 

Dean,

I second Tony's view in this and feel the need to remind you, that this yet to ascertain combination of G. australe and Aesculus in a far more progressed stadium was responsible for the total collapse of the scaffolded Anne Frank tree in Amsterdam.