Leaf disorders

[David Humphries]

came across an interesting disorder on a couple of horse chestnuts yesterday.

I haven't seen this before & having had a close look at it can't seem to see evidence of 'who' is responsible.

 

There's the obligatory presence (although light at this stage) of leaf mining from Cameraria ohridella but this isn't an associated symptom & there is no Guignardia leaf blotch in evidence.

 

The leaves are wilted & almost completely retained on the tree with very few on the ground, but it could be that they just haven't shrivelled enough yet.

 

Bird, insect....other?

 

.

[David Humphries]

Bird, insect....other?

 

Something is interfering with or nipping the central vein of one (or two) of the palmate leaflets which appears to be shutting down and wilting the affected part(s).

 

 

 

.

[Tony Croft aka hamadryad]

haven't seen this before, good post, any suspicions?

 

got a close up?

[MrPaul]

Got me baffled, viral & bacterial infections along with deficiencies would usually spread across the whole leaf.

 

Birds do nip the leaves to get the larva if they are present and they do look nipped as you say a bird with cataracts?

 

I look forward to your discovery!

[treecreeper arb]

Ahha...I have no idea,but I saw exactly the same symptoms on a tree in Essex the other day.I am also very curious...

[David Humphries]

I spoke with Forest Research yesterday and they are certainly intrigued.

 

have just sent four samples down to Alice Holt for them to have a closer look.

 

when I hear back I shall update.......

 

.

[jomoco]

Wind damage, causing buckling of primary individual leaf support veins?

 

Jomoco

[David Humphries]

I don't think so Jon, the vein break is very uniform.

 

it appears to be only on one third face of the canopy from ground to top roughly in a westerly direction.

 

 

 

 

.

[jomoco]

It has me thinkin about the way some tree species are more prone to breaking when an upward force is exerted on their support stems.

 

This would be expected during wind gusts.

 

Might even be an example trees sacrificing a few leaves in trying conditions, that others or the whole tree lives on?

 

Jomoco

[David Humphries]

We're just about in to early summer here Jon, pretty benign weather conditions.

 

Been fairly wet recently but not too windy.

 

 

.