cornus virus
- To: mediterranean climate gardening e-mail forum for gardeners in these climates throughout the world <m*@ucdavis.edu>
- Subject: cornus virus
- From: X* <x*@sprynet.com>
- Date: Tue, 27 Apr 1999 18:05:47 -0400
- References: <199904270707.AAA22336@nixon.ucdavis.edu>
Dogwood anthracnose, which is being referred to as
"cornus virus" in this forum, is a fungal disease
and is not caused by a virus. See the following
link for additional information:
http://gardening.wsu.edu/library/lpro003/lpro003.htm
As the above link indicates, dogwood anthracnose
is already present on the west coast of the United
States.
There are other related fungi that cause
anthracnose on plants as diverse as tomatoes,
lupins, corn, sorghum, strawberries, avocados,
maples, etc. However, each type of plant is
affected by a specific species of anthracnose that
attacks only that particular plant group. The
fungus that causes anthracnose in dogwoods is
Discula destructiva.
Hybrid dogwoods (resulting from crossing Cornus
florida with Cornus kousa) are extremely resistant
to dogwood anthracnose but they are not without
problems. Victoria Smith, Ph.D., of the
Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station,
states that such hybrids "have weak crotches and
tend to split as the trees age."
R. Xavier Osorio
http://www.wfnirvana.com
