description of how oak wilt is spread and potential prevention methods with Texas from the Texas A&M Forest Service

1. Oak Wilt: Protecting Our
Preserve Oaks
BCCP Infrastructure
Working Group
Eric Beckers
Staff Forester
Texas A&M Forest Service
Austin, TX

5. What is Oak Wilt?
Oak Wilt is a disease caused by a fungus called Ceratocystis fagacearum.
This fungus causes a clogging of the water conducting vessels of infected oak trees, causing the trees to wilt and die.

6. How Does Oak Wilt Spread?
The Oak Wilt Fungus Can be Spread
In Two Primary Ways:
Underground
Through grafted or joined root systems
Above Ground
Insects carry fungal spores from infected red oaks to fresh wounds on healthy oaks

7. Disease Transmission
Root Grafts (95%)
Insect Vectors (5%)

8. Blackjack
Spanish
Shumard
The Red Oaks

10. OPEN WOUNDS VULNERABLE TO OAK WILT

11. Oak Wilt

12. OAK WILT TRENCHING
Expen$ive
Disruptive
Not 100%

14. Oak Wilt was officially identified in Dallas in 1961.
Since that date, the fungus has been identified in 76 counties.

18. Symptoms
Veinal necrosis is an important symptom of the disease in Live Oaks.

21. Preventative Measures
Avoid wounds
Paint wounds
Sanitize tools
Destroy diseased red oaks

22. AVOID WOUNDING OAKS
FROM
FEBRUARY THROUGH JUNE
(BCCP PRUNING – 9/1-3/1)
MAKE PROPER PRUNING CUTS

23. _

27. STUMP CUT IS ONE OF LARGEST WOUNDS

28. PAINT ALL WOUNDS ON OAKS!

30. Sanitize Tools

31. Infected Red Oaks should be destroyed immediately by Burning, Burying, or Chipping/Composting.
This practice will help reduce the potential ABOVE GROUND spread where the fungal spores are transported to healthy trees by insects.

33. Oak Wilt Information Partnership
texasoakwilt.org
tfsweb.tamu.edu
Protect Our Oaks!