The survival of Ceratocystis fagacearum in South Carolina

This research, which involved observing and sampling artificially inoculated oak‐wilted turkey oak trees, substantiates previous field observations that C. fagacearum does not quickly kill oak trees in South Carolina. C. fagacearum seems to quickly lose virulence during the first growing season following inoculation. Rather than being quickly killed, as occurs with infected red oaks in more temperate climates, oak trees in South Carolina either survive infection or die much more slowly. Moisture, total carbohydrate, and reducing sugar contents of infected trees indicate that these trees suffer an initial physiologic trauma. Branches die first, followed by upper stems, and in few cases lower stems. Some trees, however, have survived inoculation, and initial partial wilting, but have since recovered.