From

Location

Message

Date Posted

West Paris Me.

This year I lost a really nice growing plant. I tried so hard to figure out from all of the great pictures on the internet what the disease was. I had foam {I've since learned that this is not a disease, wilting leaves, and a variety of other symptoms.
Unfortunately, I could narrow it down a few diseases. So I broke down and sent tissue in to my local extension. In less than a week I had my culprit. Black rot fungus, aka gummy stem blight. With my diagnosis I got a great description of the disease as well as a lot of advice on how to deal with it. Along with this, I didn't even get a bill!

8/22/2014 11:34:35 AM

Williamsburg,KY

Kathy, sorry to hear your plight. I think the Extension Service is way under used. Heck you pay for this service with your taxes. I use them for diagnosis also. Is there a way to treat the disease with biologicals? Thats the only disease I havent had...yet. But I surely get lots of others.
Good Luck.

8/22/2014 2:51:49 PM

West Paris Me.

CB They referenced information that that got from a source in Florida. Organic Products Serenade ASO, Serenade Max, Rhapsody, and Extract of Reynoutria. All of these, except for Extract of Reynoutria, have remarks stating: Do not use product alone. Apply with registered fungicide.
Another paragraph stated: A strain of bacterium Bacillus subtilis is available in the market as a biocontrol agent against GSB. However, the effectiveness of biocontrol agents is heavily dependent upon environmental conditions at the time of application and therefore has minimal success.

8/23/2014 11:11:15 AM