Canker Diseases
Canker diseases may also cause dieback of shoots, and are sometimes confused with winter injury. In many cases, winter injured wood is susceptible to canker infection.
Cankers cause a characteristic flagging of shoots during summer. The canker restricts movement of water and nutrients, causing the cane to wilt and die.
Fusicoccum canker tends to infect the lower portion of canes. On young canes, the lesions look like a bull’s eye.
In older canes, the interior wood is brown.
Phomopsis canker infects canes through winter-injured wood, usually the tips of canes.
The canker grows down the cane, gradually killing it. Small spore-producing structures (pycnidia) can be seen on the canker margins.
Cutting into the green wood below the dead portion will reveal brown interior pith if the canker is still active (images below).
For more information on blueberry canker diseases see the following –
- Michigan Blueberry Facts – Phomopsis Canker and twig blight
- Michigan Blueberry Facts – Fusicoccum Canker
- Michigan Blueberry Facts – Botryosphaeria Stem Canker
- Michigan Blueberry Facts – Botryosphaeria Stem Blight
Use these resources if you need additional help with diagnosis and to find solutions to your problem.