Learning to distinguish the symptoms of lightning strikes is a valuable tool for arborists, landscapers, pest control companies, and gardeners. The symptoms may be confused with other causes such as lethal yellowing disease (Candidatus palmae...

Since a devastating fungal blight popped up in the Bronx Zoo in 1904 and went on to kill at least 3 billion chestnut trees, North American forests have been swept by one plague after another, including a fungus that kills elms and an aphidlike insect...

Emerald ash borer (Agrilus planipennis) was first discovered in southeastern Michigan in 2002. Accidentally introduced on solid wood packing material from Asia, EAB has since spread to nearly all states within the native North American range of its...

Six elements are required in small amounts for the growth and development of plants. These are referred to as micronutrients: iron (Fe), manganese (Mn) copper (Cu), zinc (Zn), molybdenum (Mo), and boron (B). Only two of these, iron and manganese, are...

Needlecast and needle blight are terms applied to a variety of foliage disorders of many coniferous species. These diseases are usually more severe on young trees or on trees growing outside of their natural range. Disease severity and corresponding...

Concern over the use of pesticides in public areas, such as schools, daycare centers, and parks, has prompted some state and local governments to severely restrict or ban pesticides in these locations. Connecticut currently has bans for daycare centers...

Sonic tomography, or the use of sound waves to detect decay in trees, is a relatively new technology available to arborists.  This technology uses the differential speed of sound as it moves through solid wood, decayed wood, or hollow space to create a...

The horticultural trade relies on healthy plants to flourish. However, its very nature
means that it is also a key pathway for the introduction and spread of plant pests and diseases.
These pests and diseases threaten horticultural...

Thousands of trees are struck by lightning every year. These trees will have varying degrees of damage ranging from complete shattering and destruction of the tree, to a slow lingering death, to virtually no apparent damage at all (Figure 1). When...

European ash is a significant tree commercially, ecologically, and culturally. It is currently
threatened by two invasive species, the fungus that causes ash dieback and
the emerald ash borer (EAB) beetle. We show that saplings of...