Pine Needle Casts

Lophodermella concolor (Dearn.) Darker
Dothostroma pini Hulb.
Elytroderma de formans (Weir) Darker
Lophodermella arcuata (Darker) Darker

From: Field Guide to Diseases and Insect Pests of Idaho and Montana Forests, USDA Forest Service Northern Region, Publication Number R1-89-54

Hosts. –

Lodgepole pine – Lophodermella concolor.
Ponderosa pine – Dothistroma pini, Elytroderma de formans.
Western white pine – Dothistroma pini.
Whitebark pine, limber pine – Lophodermella arcuata.

Distribution. – Distribution of hosts.

Damage. – Most severe needle casts of pines in Idaho and Montana are caused by these four fungi. One-year-old foliage is killed. Growth loss and occasionally mortality results from severe infections. Elytroderma needle cast causes witches brooms in branches and often will deform small trees.

Identification. – Needles infected early in their development in the spring die in autumn of the same year or spring the following year. Needle casts are fairly host specific. The host identity can be used as a general indicator of needle cast species, particularly in situations of severe infection. Infections of these needle cast fungi on hosts other than those indicated above are usually minor. There are numerous other needle cast fungus species which occasionally become locally important.

Needle casts are usually most severe low in tree crowns (fig. 127). In situations of recurring infection, several years' complements of foliage may have been cast. On sites which are prone to chronic infection, only foliage less than a year old may be present on trees. Saplings are usually most severely affected. See comparisons of L. concolor (fig. 128), D. pini (figs. 129, 130), E. de formans , and L. arcuata.

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Figure 127 - Needle Cast tends to be heaviest in the lower crown.	Figure 128 - Lodgepole Pine Needle Cast is the most common needle cast of lodgepole pine.
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Figure 129 - Dothistroma Needle Cast produces distinct red transverse banding on ponderosa pine needles.	Figure 130 - Dothistroma Needle Blight on western white pine causes blighted needles to turn red and droop on twigs. Some of the needles will turn gray and remain attached for 2 or more years.
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Figure 81 - Elytroderma Needle Cast causes witches brooms to form in systemically infected branches.	Figure 82 - Fruiting bodies of Elytroderma Deformans are black lines near base of discolored needles.

Similar damages. – Damages which cause general decline in pines, such as root disease or drought, mimic the symptoms of needle cast. Pine needle scale, black pineleaf scale, winter desiccation, and pine needle sheathminer all cause damages which can be confused with needle cast. Look for the specific symptoms and signs of each needle cast disease.

Link to Table 5. – Comparison of Common Pine Needle Casts.

Link to Lodgepole Pine Needle Cast Images in Forestry Images

Link to Elytroderma Needle Cast of Pine Images in Forestry Images

Link to White Pine Needle Cast Images in Forestry Images

References.

Anonymous. 1982. For. Insect & disease identification and management. USDA For. Serv., Northern Region; Idaho Dept. of Lands, Insect and Disease Control; Montana Dept. of State Lands, Division of Forestry. 192 p.

Bega, R. V. 1978. Diseases of Pacific Coast conifers. USDA For. Serv. Ag. Hndbk. No. 521, 206 p.

Boyce, J. S. 1961. Forest Pathology. McGraw-Hill Book Co., New York, NY. 572 p.

Funk, A. 1981. Parasitic microfungi of western trees. Canadian Forestry Service, Pacific Forest Research Centre BX-X-222, 190 p.

Hepting, G. E. 1971. Diseases of forest and shade trees of the United States. USDA For. Serv. Ag. Hndbk. No. 386, 658 p.

Peterson, G. W. 1982. Dothistroma needle blight of pines.  USDA For., Serv., For. Ins. & Dis. Leaflet 143, 6 p.

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