Coast redwood (Sequoia sempervirens) is among the most widely planted landscape trees in California (CA) but is in decline outside its natural range due to factors including prolonged drought and plant pathogens. We investigated associations of Botryosphaeriaceae fungi with declining coast redwood trees throughout CA. More than 100 samples were collected from 11 coastal and inland locations in CA. Fifty-nine Botryosphaeria-like fungal strains were isolated and 18 were selected for further study. Phylogenetic analysis of ITS and EF-1α sequence data confirmed the presence of Botryosphaeria dothidea, Neofusicoccum australe, N. luteum, N. mediterraneum, and N. parvum. Pathogenicity testing showed that although the Neofusicoccum species vary in virulence, all are more virulent that B. dothidea. N. australe caused the largest lesions, followed by N. luteum, N. parvum, and N. mediterraneum. Of the species recovered, only B. dothidea has been previously confirmed as a pathogen of coast redwood in CA. These results confirm that multiple Botryosphaeriaceae species are associated with branch decline and dieback on coast redwood in CA, which agrees with similar studies on woody agricultural crops. Accurate diagnosis of fungal pathogens of coast redwood is important for the development of disease management strategies and may help improve horticultural practices in maintenance of urban stands.

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Green ash (Fraxinus pennsylvanica Marsh.) street trees ranging in size from 25 to 45 cm dbh were trunk injected with emamectin benzoate at rates of 0.10–0.60 g ai/2.54 cm dbh at three Michigan, U.S., locations in 2005 or 2006. Tree health was monitored by annual canopy thinning and dieback ratings for up to four years after a single treatment. Branch samples were collected in the autumn and the bark removed to count emerald ash borer larvae for most treatments over the same period of time. A single trunk injection treatment of emamectin benzoate at the 0.1, 0.2, or 0.4 g ai rate gave 100% control of emerald ash borer larvae in 98 of 99 treated trees for 2–3 years. Canopy ratings for treated trees remained similar for 2–4 years following trunk injection, while >50% of the control trees died during the same period of time. Ash trees that received a combination of an imidacloprid trunk injection and an imidacloprid basal drench or an annual imidacloprid basal drench had similar canopy ratings, but more larvae were found in branches from trees receiving the annual basal drench.

Trunk injection of systemic insecticides or fungicides is an effective way to manage destructive insects or diseases of trees, but many arborists are still reluctant to inject trees because of the potential for infection by pathogens, structural damage, or adverse effects on tree health. The authors of the following study examined wound responses of green ash (Fraxinus pennsylvanica Marsh.) for two years following trunk injection, by sectioning tree trunks to look for evidence of infection associated with injection sites, and by collecting data on annual radial growth and rate of closure around injection sites. All healthy trees successfully compartmentalized injection wounds without any signs of infection, decay, or structural damage. Wound closure was positively correlated with the tree health as measured by annual radial growth.

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