How to Manage Pests

Fusarium wilt—Fusarium oxysporum

Fusarium wilt affects relatively few woody ornamental species but can kill certain hosts, including albizia, date, palm, hebe, and pyracantha. Most forms of Fusarium oxysporum attack only herbaceous plants. Fusarium wilt symptoms often appear first on one side of a plant. Older leaves usually die first in infected plants, commonly followed by death of the entire plant. Cutting into infected wood may reveal that vascular tissue has turned brown, often all the way from the shoot to the soil line.

Solutions

Fusarium wilt results from infection through roots by hyphae that germinate from long-lasting survival structures in the soil. Avoid this problem by replanting at that site using species from different genera than plants previously infected there by Fusarium. Choose resistant cultivars if available. Keep plants vigorous by providing trees with proper irrigation, fertilizer, and other appropriate care to promote new growth and increase their chance for survival. Chronic branch dieback may develop in surviving trees; prune out any dead wood. Regularly inspect for possible hazards; affected trees may need to be removed. Soil solarization before planting may be effective.