Pine Tree Diseases

Most species of Pine are native to the Northern Hemisphere. They are a common sight across the Canary Islands, Scotland, Russia, the Philippines, Norway, Siberia, northernmost Africa and Southeast Asia. They are also an extensive part of North American vegetation that spans from 66°N in Canada, 12°N in Nicaragua and across Mexico and California. Pines are known to live, for thousands of years, even in the subtropical and temperate regions of the Southern Hemisphere that they have been recently introduced to.

Pine Tree Facts:

Pines are resinous evergreens. They can grow to a height of 80 m. Variants such as the Siberian Dwarf Pine, Sugar Pine and Potosi Pinyon are known to survive extreme temperatures for over a thousand years. The Great Basin Bristlecone Pine (Pinus longaeva) is the oldest known pine at 4,840 years, in 2008! It is contending for 'Oldest Living Organism' in the modern world. Pine barks can be thick and scaly or thin and flaky, depending on the temperature variations they are subjected to. The branches are pseudo whorls, arising from the same node. While some species are uninodal - producing one whorl of branches a year, others are multinodal - producing more than one branch whorl a year. The needle and cone scales are great detectors of soil fertility and vigor. Pines have four types of leaves: cotyledons, juveniles, scale and needles. Most species are monoecious, with male and female cones co-existing on the same tree. A female pine cone, takes around 3 years to mature after pollination. Pines are easily among the most commercially important trees. They are force-cultivated for their timber and wood pulp, across the globe. Pine wood is used extensively to design furniture and frame panels. Pine resin is an important source of turpentine. The trees add to the aesthetic appeal of parks and gardens. They are also commercially harvested as Christmas trees.

Pine Tree Diseases:

Pine trees are targeted by a number of pests, that infest the species throughout a lifetime. The southern pine beetle or Dendroctonus frontalis Zimmermann is recognized as one of the most destructive pine enemies. Each attack involves thousands of beetles invading individual trees. The beetle pairs construct galleries along the inner bark to deposit eggs in individual niches. The blue-stain fungi on the bodies of the beetles hasten pine death by clogging the water-conducting tissues. Another pine tree problem arises out of European Pine Sawfly infestation. The larvae eat through the pine needle surfaces, causing them to wilt. The larvae continue to feed from tip to base, feeding on older foliage and consequently stripping the needles. The end result is the 'bottle brush' effect, with all old needles missing. Pine Needle Scale infestations result in the loss of considerable amounts of plant sap. This gives the infected trees a frosted or silvery appearance. The white scales completely cover needles, leading to discoloration and branch death. Another pine enemy is the Spruce Spider Mite. This insect is known to feed on more than 40 different species of conifers, including all types of pine. The White Pine Weevil, another common pine tree disease bearer causes growth reduction and stem deformation. All these pine tree diseases increase the plant's susceptibility to wood decay organisms and reduces tree mortality considerably. However, most of these insect-pests thrive on the pine, since it plays suitable host to brood development.