Scots Pine Rapid Die Back

[Treerover]

Hello again, last year I asked for thoughts or experiences on Scots Pine die back. 
There was a varied scale of opinion .

We undertook some heavy felling of browned or dead specimens as it was thought that Red Band Needle Blight might be responsible .

Not even a year later the wood is still being decimated as are the local garden and copses here in Warwickshire .

I’m just wondering whether anyone has any further input as they are dying EVERYWHERE here , woods, gardens , roadside ….anywhere and everywhere . 
it far more rapid and impactful than Ash die back currently but that is inevitably starting to sweep across the county also.

I have attached some photos from today . The needles don’t to my eye look typically like Red Band but the occasional odd one does .

Any thoughts or avenues to pursue would be greatly appreciated . 
I’m usually pretty good with pests and diseases but this one is stumping me .

It’s genuinely a terrible swathe of destruction whatever it is ☹️

[Stubby]

6 minutes ago, Treerover said:

Hello again, last year I asked for thoughts or experiences on Scots Pine die back. 
There was a varied scale of opinion .

We undertook some heavy felling of browned or dead specimens as it was thought that Red Band Needle Blight might be responsible .

Not even a year later the wood is still being decimated as are the local garden and copses here in Warwickshire .

I’m just wondering whether anyone has any further input as they are dying EVERYWHERE here , woods, gardens , roadside ….anywhere and everywhere . 
it far more rapid and impactful than Ash die back currently but that is inevitably starting to sweep across the county also.

I have attached some photos from today . The needles don’t to my eye look typically like Red Band but the occasional odd one does .

Any thoughts or avenues to pursue would be greatly appreciated . 
I’m usually pretty good with pests and diseases but this one is stumping me .

It’s genuinely a terrible swathe of destruction whatever it is ☹️

Do you think it might not be red band needle blight now ?

[Spruce Pirate]

Doesn't look particularly like DNB, or red band if you prefer, to me, but I've no ideas what it might be.

[5thelement]

Send a sample to Alice Holt for analysis.

[devon TWiG]

Most likely drought related , either purely lack of water , or conditions favour a disease of some sort , what type of soils in this area ???      Is this on mature trees only or all age trees ???

Edited July 6, 2023 by devon TWiG

[Stere]

I was thinking drought also maybe its related to a dry summer last yr?

 

https://www.wsl.ch/en/news/2022/06/mass-diebacks-of-scots-pines-caused-by-lack-of-rain-in-mid-and-late-summer.html

 

 

 

 

 

Edited July 6, 2023 by Stere

[5thelement]

Scots pine is pretty good at dealing with drought conditions, and respond well in the following growth seasons.

[s o c]

Have been noticing a fair few browned Scots pines over here also.

[woody paul]

I started a thread about 4 months ago with Thuja dying, well there's also alot of Scott's pine in the same area dying and I ve spotted others around Essex / Suffolk border. It happens very quick I topped the Thuja in Feb as tops were dead and got a call in April to take them right down, beginning of June I took them down and the timber had no sap leach out of it and it was no problem picking pieces up a foot round and 6 foot long. 

 

[Treerover]

On 06/07/2023 at 20:20, devon TWiG said:

Most likely drought related , either purely lack of water , or conditions favour a disease of some sort , what type of soils in this area ???      Is this on mature trees only or all age trees ???

Not drought related . 
Has been going on for too long and too widespread across county.

Also, not all trees in stands affected and trees dying year on year .

Affecting Scots of all ages