Powdery mildew

[Danavan]

My bonsai has had it annually for the past 3 years & has had little extension growth. I put this down to soil & root condition (due to neglect from away time:blushing:) But this is the first year I have noticed it on a fully mature oak (drive by look though) Worth logging down on treewatch though & keeping it updated for the future.

 

Hope Tony is right though.

[Tony Croft aka hamadryad]

Not so sure that's the case Tony, as according to Forest Research & those that have studied 'Oak Mildew' in particular, it's a relatively recent addition to these shores, having been in England only since 1908, which isn't that long ago in an oaks life time.

 

 

I think this is why Ted is particularly concerned as he believes that it's far more prevelant now (even taking into account this years climatic conditions) than it has been.

 

 

 

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100+ years is a long time to be on the concern list, IMO, there is a much greater set of threats the biggest one the loss of Mycorrhizae for which we should be focusing ALL our money and time on IMO at this time.

[David Humphries]

100+ years is a long time to be on the concern list, IMO, there is a much greater set of threats the biggest one the loss of Mycorrhizae for which we should be focusing ALL our money and time on IMO at this time.

 

 

Agreed, the perceived loss of mycorrhizae should be studied.

Which it currently is even down to our level at Hampstead, where we're into the third year of recording mycos around vet oaks for an ongoing London natural history society study.

 

Interested to know if you have links that show that mycorrhizae are actually reduced in the rhizosphere of urban and forest root horizons, and whether that's a presence reduction or a fruiting reduction?

 

Back to thread though, I think the effect of the mycelium of the mildews 'withdrawing moisture & nutrients from epidermal (leaf) cells' (Strouts & Winter) will surely have a cumulative & significant effect on a trees ability to photosynthesise & produce the energy balance it needs to counter further pathogens/predators etc......

 

 

 

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[Treecreeper1961]

100+ years is a long time to be on the concern list, IMO, there is a much greater set of threats the biggest one the loss of Mycorrhizae for which we should be focusing ALL our money and time on IMO at this time.

 

There are so many issues of concern for our trees these days. The loss of interconnected mycorrhizae is a massive issue that is overlooked as it's subterranean nature helps keep it a mystery to many and unknown to most. It is not only in our woods but in our fields too that this special heritage is almost gone and the consequences of this may never truly be understood.

Climate change is the topic of the day that seems to be exacerbating all our tree troubles. The change in the seasons, extended growing time, reduced dormant period, the warm and damp conditions all have an effect on tree's energy. Pests and diseases are thriving and expanding their ranges and niches under these changing conditions. Mildews must be rubbing their hands with glee.

It is the accumulative effect of all of these things that threaten our mighty oaks. We need to be focusing on the big picture and looking at every aspect of our civilisation. The way we conduct our business is what we need to change. Sustainable living requires a complete overhaul of our civilisation. The focus in conservation has shifted from taking care of individual species to looking after the habitat, the ecosystem;and then the species take care of themselves.

To say we should be putting all our resources into myccorhizae seems a strong statement considering climate change has the power to destroy myccorrhizal communities. We need an holistic approach. Myccorhizae represent the true interconnectedness of everything in a very literal way. You could be right. Perhaps it is the destruction of these age old links that is causing the breakdown of our ecosystems,our life support, but we can't treat them without changing the way we farm, addressing the climate issue and living sustainably in a way that respects the resources we take for granted.

You can't bring back thousands of years of evolution unless you allow it respect and time.

We could be screwed without our fungal life support system, but, if we do things the right way they could recover in time.

Mycorrhiza and how it works.docx

[Tony Croft aka hamadryad]

There are so many issues of concern for our trees these days. The loss of interconnected mycorrhizae is a massive issue that is overlooked as it's subterranean nature helps keep it a mystery to many and unknown to most. It is not only in our woods but in our fields too that this special heritage is almost gone and the consequences of this may never truly be understood.

Climate change is the topic of the day that seems to be exacerbating all our tree troubles. The change in the seasons, extended growing time, reduced dormant period, the warm and damp conditions all have an effect on tree's energy. Pests and diseases are thriving and expanding their ranges and niches under these changing conditions. Mildews must be rubbing their hands with glee.

It is the accumulative effect of all of these things that threaten our mighty oaks. We need to be focusing on the big picture and looking at every aspect of our civilisation. The way we conduct our business is what we need to change. Sustainable living requires a complete overhaul of our civilisation. The focus in conservation has shifted from taking care of individual species to looking after the habitat, the ecosystem;and then the species take care of themselves.

To say we should be putting all our resources into myccorhizae seems a strong statement considering climate change has the power to destroy myccorrhizal communities. We need an holistic approach. Myccorhizae represent the true interconnectedness of everything in a very literal way. You could be right. Perhaps it is the destruction of these age old links that is causing the breakdown of our ecosystems,our life support, but we can't treat them without changing the way we farm, addressing the climate issue and living sustainably in a way that respects the resources we take for granted.

You can't bring back thousands of years of evolution unless you allow it respect and time.

We could be screwed without our fungal life support system, but, if we do things the right way they could recover in time.

 

urgent needs require bold statements, i learn that from Nev! the best instigator of em all:thumbup1:

 

But seriously, the key to a robust healthy tree is in the soil, in the "rhizosphere" all other pests and diseases are rendered almost unimportant by a healthy growing environment. we know this, its what makes the difference between a downward spiral and just another episode in a trees long long life.

 

so YES we do need to focus our energies at the foundations and build a stronger tree stock from the ground up, not the top down!

[David Humphries]

so YES we do need to focus our energies at the foundations and build a stronger tree stock from the ground up, not the top down!

 

 

Trees grow without mycorrhizae, but they don't do so well without full access to the basics of water & 'light'

 

 

 

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[Tony Croft aka hamadryad]

Trees grow without mycorrhizae, but they don't do so well without full access to the basics of water & 'light'

 

 

 

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it is in times of need that the mycos earn their keep, and it is for this reason that they are fed, upto 30% of the trees energy budgets. Acidification, compaction, nitrification (in YOUR case eutrophication and compaction via our four and two legged varieties) render the soil habitat unfavourable to mycorhizae.

 

a tree can grow into the light IF it has the capacity, it can last longer in drought WITH mycorrhizae, permanent wilting point far greater/longer than without. It is mycorrhizae loss that is the greatest magnitude of intolerenence to changes from optimum ranges for a given tree species.

[Treecreeper1961]

urgent needs require bold statements, i learn that from Nev! the best instigator of em all:thumbup1:

 

But seriously, the key to a robust healthy tree is in the soil, in the "rhizosphere" all other pests and diseases are rendered almost unimportant by a healthy growing environment. we know this, its what makes the difference between a downward spiral and just another episode in a trees long long life.

 

so YES we do need to focus our energies at the foundations and build a stronger tree stock from the ground up, not the top down!

 

 

I agree. Climate change, however, is having as much of an effect on the rooting environment as it is above ground. Pests and diseases are thriving in the soil just as they are on the leaves.

O.k. perhaps all arb. focus and resources should be aimed at mycorrhizae, I'll give you that.

So many oaks in decline:thumbdown:

[born2trot]

Theres some sort of willow in my garden got it , first time in the 4 years i've been here ... seen it on a clients sycamore last week , going back will get a photo hopefully .

[Tony Croft aka hamadryad]

I agree. Climate change, however, is having as much of an effect on the rooting environment as it is above ground. Pests and diseases are thriving in the soil just as they are on the leaves.

O.k. perhaps all arb. focus and resources should be aimed at mycorrhizae, I'll give you that.

So many oaks in decline:thumbdown:

 

I totaly get the point about Mildew, and yes its stressing trees, though to be fair this year they had a great start its only now the mildews broke out and late on in the growing energy storing season.

 

There are so many Oaks as you say in decline and the reasons for this are VERY complex, so many things are conspiring to end their reign as the kings of Englands forests, lets hope it doesnt go the way of the elms. our landscape has changed so much in such a short space of time.

 

There are of course a great many aspects to all these issues and declines, the biggest three are importation and human traffic bringing in alien pathogens and diseases our tree stock havent had the time to adapt to, not one let alone a whole sweet of them. I would call for a ban on all imports of trees and plants, but its too darn late, so thanks FC, defra ect)

 

Then we have the agriculture business, GM crops, pest control and nitrification on levels that are lunacy. reducing biodiversity and losing tons of soil through dry crap earths blowing away in the wind, further exhausberating the issues!

 

And pollution, acidification, ect etc etc

 

all adding to global warming for that all important ultra combo