Apple trees cedar blight?

gordylew · Jun 13, 2017

I have several apple trees in the yard that were planted when the house was built in 1986. The last few years I have not gotten any or much fruit because the leaves turn yellow and spotted then fall off. I've tried spray them with fungicides and insecticides in the past with little affect. There are several Leyland Cypress planted in the yard as well. Could this be Cedar blight? How do you get rid of it if it is?

NCHillbilly · Jun 13, 2017

With cedar-apple rust, the leaves usually don't turn completely yellow, but get yellow-orange spots on them, then develop spore threads later on theundersides of the leaf. Leyland cypress is not an alternate host. It only infects junipers, such as the eastern red cedar. But, since the spores can travel up to two miles, there probably isn't an apple tree in the southeast that isn't within infection range of a red cedar.

To control it, you need to spray with a fungicide such as daconil or Captan during the spring when the fruiting bodies of the fungus are appearing on the cedar trees.

Jack Ryan · Jun 13, 2017

Cut down all the cedar trees with in 2 miles of you.

Spray the trees every 7 days with Captan.

Crakajak · Jun 13, 2017

Might be aphids.

Forest Grump · Jun 13, 2017

gordylew said:
I have several apple trees in the yard that were planted when the house was built in 1986. The last few years I have not gotten any or much fruit because the leaves turn yellow and spotted then fall off. I've tried spray them with fungicides and insecticides in the past with little affect. There are several Leyland Cypress planted in the yard as well. Could this be Cedar blight? How do you get rid of it if it is?

Post a pic if possible. It doesn't sound like typical lesions for Cedar Apple Rust. Below is a link with pics of the lesions on both apple & cedar:

http://www.missouribotanicalgarden....problems/diseases/rusts/cedar-apple-rust.aspx

S'more:

http://www.centuryfarmorchards.com/library/car.html

http://msue.anr.msu.edu/news/cedar_apple_rust_a_tale_of_a_fungal_disease_with_two_hosts

https://www.uaex.edu/publications/PDF/FSA-7538.pdf

http://plantclinic.cornell.edu/factsheets/CedarAppleRust.pdf

To use sprays, they are only effective BEFORE the leaves are infected. Once they have spots, fungicides & copper sprays will have no effect. Aphids & leafhoppers will usually cause the youngest leaves at the tip of branch & stem to be curly/crinkled, but they seldom drop off.

Excess moisture/waterlogged soil can cause the leaves to yellow & drop off from the bottom up (apples don't like wet feet). Drought stress also can cause yellowing & leaf drop, often beginning with scorch on the leaf margin.

http://articles.extension.org/pages/60228/effect-of-water-on-apple-trees:-not-enough-or-too-much

Another possibility is Apple scab. Another fungal disease, this one starts on the underside of leaves & may cause them to yellow & fall off in mid-summer, & also may cause fruit to drop off. Scab usually begins as black spots.

https://www.extension.purdue.edu/extmedia/bp/bp-1-w.pdf

.

shakey gizzard · Jun 15, 2017

What variety apple? Rust rarely does severe damage!

Forest Grump · Jun 15, 2017

shakey gizzard said:
What variety apple? Rust rarely does severe damage!

My bet is on scab with yellow leaves that drop off mid-summer. Be easier with a pitchure tho...

gordylew · Jun 20, 2017

here are some pictures.

Forest Grump · Jun 20, 2017

Dude,

You have a serious case of Cedar-Apple Rust.

Wow.

Too late now but cut any cedar you have jurisdiction over & next year spray your trees...

When you look for new trees, pick resistant cultivars.

Clifton Hicks · Jun 21, 2017

There are a growing number of "resistant" apple varieties available to those of us who live around Cedar trees. I have a bunch of cedars and a bunch of apples (some resistant and some not).

If you're thinking of planting apples I'd recommend these for having at least some resistance to the cedar rust and ability to thrive in GA:
Arkansas Black
Liberty
Chehalis
Egremont
Belmac
Akane

My non-resistant apple trees do get a lot of cedar rust on the leaves and fruit but, at least in my case, it doesn't spoil the fruit and I have no need to spend money on spray.

NCHillbilly · Jun 21, 2017

I think that's the worst I've ever seen.

gordylew · Jun 21, 2017

What is odd is the fact the trees are 30 years old and weren't infected until 3 years ago. I have several giant Leland cypress trees that are as old as the Apple trees. I was wondering if the cypress trees could be the cause.

NCHillbilly · Jun 21, 2017

It is very unlikely that the Leyland cypress are an alternate host. The usual alternate host for the fungus is a juniper-the most common one being eastern red cedar. I have not read anything that would indicate that the disease can use Leyland cypress as a host. If it was, you would notice the big, orange, alien-looking globs on the cypress trees in spring, and the galls on the branches in the fall.

shakey gizzard · Jun 21, 2017

TOAST!

Apple trees cedar blight?

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