Kretzschmaria deusta on Lime

[Arbanner]

Hi all,

 

Is planting a Lime as a replacement for a Kretzschmaria deusta (Ustulina) infected Lime a good idea? Will the new Lime be at risk on infection?

 

I've a TPOd Lime coming out on a site and the TO is asking for a replacement Lime in the same place. The Lime in question is part of a mixed species group so it's not a line planting of Limes. I'm planning on suggesting an Oak instead as there is space for one.

 

I know Kretschmaria can infect Limes regardless of vitality and that Lime is not a good compartmentaliser of Kretschmaria, so would it be better not to replant with Lime.

 

Thanks, Tony.

[daltontrees]

Hi all,

 

Is planting a Lime as a replacement for a Kretzschmaria deusta (Ustulina) infected Lime a good idea? Will the new Lime be at risk on infection?

 

I've a TPOd Lime coming out on a site and the TO is asking for a replacement Lime in the same place. The Lime in question is part of a mixed species group so it's not a line planting of Limes. I'm planning on suggesting an Oak instead as there is space for one.

 

I know Kretschmaria can infect Limes regardless of vitality and that Lime is not a good compartmentaliser of Kretschmaria, so would it be better not to replant with Lime.

 

Thanks, Tony.

 

No-one else replying? That's not a very nice welcome to Arbtalk for you.

 

There's no evidence I have ever seen that K. deusta is actively pathogenic. There are some suggestions of it, but never backed up by hard evidence. Personally I suspect it as a theoretical possibility but realistically highly unlikely. Much much more likely that it invades through dead tap roots in at least semi-mature trees. So the chances of remnants of it (spores or mycelia) from a removed infected tree infecting a young vigorous replacement lime are negligibly small.

 

Or put it this way, if you were planning to appeal against lime as the replacement as a condition of a TPO consent, I don't see you getting very far.

 

I hope that helps a little.

[sloth]

Good answer, also welcome to the forum Arbanner! Just to toss another thought out here - I've never seen Kretz on any stem less than about 30 or 40cm diameter. I suspect it needs the bigger diameter/older wood to colonize, which a smaller newly planted tree wouldn't have. So lime is liked, let loose the planting spade...

[daltontrees]

Good answer, also welcome to the forum Arbanner! Just to toss another thought out here - I've never seen Kretz on any stem less than about 30 or 40cm diameter. I suspect it needs the bigger diameter/older wood to colonize, which a smaller newly planted tree wouldn't have. So lime is liked, let loose the planting spade...

 

I saw it on a norway maple about 25cm across, couldn't believe it and have never seen it since then on any tree anywhere near so small.

 

My suspicions about K. deusta is that in its anaerobic decay mode it cannot overcome the parenchymal defenses of sapwood, but maybe can beaver away in dead heartwood. If so I would agree withe the general observation that it needs older wood.

[treeseer]

arbanner, how extensive is the Kretch on the current tree? Got a pic?