Diseases Caused by Other Ceratocystis Species

Fruit Rot and Spear Rot of Palm, Caused by Ceratocystis paradoxa:

Rot of fruit of the native peach palm (pejibaye, Bactris gasipaes) in Costa Rica. This is most important postharvest disease of this edible fruit.

Oil palm plantation in Costa Rica. Spear rot and bud rot of oil palm (Elaeis guineensis) can be caused by C. paradoxa.

The oil palm on the right has a bud infected with C. paradoxa, while the oil palm on the left is healthy. Southern Bahia state, Brazil.

Oak Wilt, Caused by Ceratocystis fagacearum:

Disease center in bur oak in Ames, Iowa. This pathogen can move underground through root grafts. The disease moves relatively slowly in bur and white oak, as compared to the more susceptible red, black and pin oaks.

After the tree is killed, the fungus produces a gray pressure pad (center) to push the bark away from the wood, thus cracking the bark and exposing the sporulating mat. The mat emits a fruity(mellon-like) odor that attracts Nitidulidae (Coleoptera), the primary vector.

Sapstreak of Maple, Caused by Ceratocystis virescens:; and Myrtle Wilt, Caused by Chalara australis:

Sapstreak of sugar maple causes dieback and mortality, especially in sugarbushes (photo by K. Smith).

Ceratocystis virescens is found in the eastern United States, causing disease in maple and tulippoplar. A morphologically identical species occurs on beech and oak, though its biology is unclear. Below: Staining pattern in base of a diseased sugar maple. Note radial streaking as the fungus follows the ray parenchyma (photo by K. Smith)

The asexual Chalara australis causes a dramatic disease on Nothofagus cunninghamii in Tasmania and Victoria, Australia, causing large canopy gaps and driving succession in this temperate rainforest ecosystem. The pathogen spreads through root grafts between the giant trees.

For diseases caused by Ceratocystis fimbriata: Ceratocystis fimbriata Diseases

(A special section on Ceratocystis wilt of cacao, caused by C. fimbriata, is available: Cacao.html)

For more research on Ceratocystis: CERRES.html

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