[Image: Pecan Bacterial Leaf Scorch on a Cape Fear tree.]The bacterium that causes Pecan Bacterial Leaf Scorch in pecan trees also causes disease in a number of other plants including grapes, peaches and almonds. While the symptoms vary between plant species, most will have some type of leaf “scorching.” In many of the hosts that this bacterium infects, including grapes, peaches and almonds, infected plants will die over a period of a few to several years. Thus far, pecan trees have not been shown to die as a result of infection by the Pecan Bacterial Leaf Scorch pathogen. However, once a pecan tree is infected, it will remain infected throughout its lifetime. And while tree death may not occur, yield losses will be incurred and likely increase as the bacterium spreads throughout the tree.
More information on Pecan Bacterial Leaf Scorch can be found in the Pecan Disease Synopsis on the Plant Pathology page of the Pecan Station website.
Question answered by plant pathology researchers at the Pecan Research-Extension Station.