Prunus stem pitting

Disease

Prunus stem pitting

Tomato Ringspot Virus (TmRSV)

Distribution: Widespread; the virus is endemic to North America.

Photos

The bark is thick and spongy and the wood underneath is severely pitted and indented.

The bark is thick and spongy and the wood underneath is severely pitted and indented. Thomas Burr, Cornell Univ.
B

Affected trees appear weak and show a general decline (A). Leaves may have upward cupping, turning prematurely yellow or reddish purple, droop, and then prematurely drop. The bark is abnormally thick and spongy and the wood underneath has a severely pitted, indented texture (B). Symptoms are most severe in the wood just above and below the soil line.

  • Crops Affected: cherries, peaches

    Management

    TmRSV can survive in a number of weed hosts, is seed-transmitted in dandelion, and is vectored by the dagger nematodes Xiphinema americanum Cobb and X. rivesi Dalmasso. Thus, good weed control and pre-planting site preparation can help to reduce the incidence of this disease. Trees should be purchased certified virus-free.

    Similar Species

    Any disease or disorder affecting the root system or rootstock/scion union can produce similar above-ground symptoms. The presence of deep pits and grooves in the wood underneath the bark is characteristic of this disease.

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