Canker is a general term for a large number of different plant diseases, characterised by broadly similar symptoms including the appearance of distorted, tumor-like growth and areas of dead tissue, which grow slowly, often over a period of years. Some are of only minor consequence, but others are ultimately lethal, and of major economic importance in agriculture and horticulture. Different cankers and anthracnoses are caused by a wide range of organisms, including fungi, bacteria,phytoplasmas and viruses. The majority of canker-causing organisms are tied obligately to a single host species or genus, but a few will attack a wider range of plants.

Butternut canker is a lethal disease of Butternut trees, and has no cure.
Canker on a birch

Some cankers are treatable with fungicides or bactericides, but many are not; often the only treatment available is to destroy the infected plant to prevent the disease from spreading to other plants.

Bacterial Cankers edit

  • Ash bacterial canker, caused by the bacterium Pseudomonas syringae
  • Citrus canker, caused by the bacterium Xanthomonas axonopodis
  • Poplar canker, caused by the bacterium Xanthomonas populi

Fungal Cankers edit

  • Apple canker, caused by the fungi Nectria galligena
  • Butternut canker, caused by the fungus Sirococcus clavigigenti-juglandacearum
  • Cypress canker, caused by the fungus Seridium cardinale
  • Dogwood anthracnose, caused by the fungus Discula destructiva
  • Grape canker, caused by the water mold Eutypa lata
  • Honey locust canker, caused by the fungus Thyronectria austro-americana
  • Mulberry canker, caused by the fungus Gibberella baccata
  • Oak canker, caused by the fungus Diplodia quercina
  • Pine pitch canker, caused by the fungus Fusarium pini
  • Plane anthracnose, caused by the fungus Apiognomonia veneta
  • Rapeseed stem canker, caused by the blackleg fungus Leptosphaeria maculans
  • Rose cankers, caused by the fungi Leptosphaeria coniothyrium and Cryptosporella umbrina
  • Scleroderris canker, caused by the fungus Gremmeniella abietina
  • Willow anthracnose, caused by the fungus Marssonina salicicola

Phytoplasma-caused Cankers edit

Viral Cankers edit

See also edit