Anthracnose On Maple And Oak - Maple Tree Anthracnose Disease

ANR-1049, New July 1997. By Austin Hagan, Extension Plant Pathologist, Professor, and Jacqueline Mullen, Extension Plant Pathologist and Diagnostician, both in Plant Pathology at Auburn University.

Plant Disease Notes
Anthracnose
On Maple And Oak

Anthracnose is among the most common diseases seen on oak and maple. Although anthracnose usually causes little damage, severe disease outbreaks, characterized by blighting of leaves and defoliation, do occur. Damage severity on maple and oak depends on identity of the causal fungus, tree species, age of the leaves, and weather conditions. Generally, outbreaks of anthracnose are favored by warm temperatures and frequent showers.

Symptoms. The causal fungi of anthracnose on maple are found in the genera Discella, Discula, Monostichella, and Kabatiella. Symptoms on maple leaves include brown lesions that spread along the larger veins, circular brown to reddish brown spots with tan centers, and irregular blotches that kill large sections of a leaf. Leaf blight, caused by the fungus Kabatiella, often results in early defoliation of red and Japanese maple. Fruiting bodies (acervuli) of the causal fungi may appear on either the upper or lower surface of the leaves.

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