Tag: armillaria root rot

• Question of the Week – Root Collar Excavation

  

  Why are the roots of this peach tree exposed? One of the biggest disease issues peach growers in South Carolina face is Armillaria Root Rot (ARR). The main reason this disease is so challenging is that we currently do not have a foolproof option for controlling its spread. The best and most effective way, researchers…

  Justin Ballew

  April 23, 2026

  Question of the Week

  armillaria root rot, disease management, peach, Peaches, Question of the Week, root collar excavation

• Question of the Week – Armillaria Root Rot

  

  What is developing at the base of this peach tree? The picture illustrates the fruiting bodies of the Armillaria root rot fungus, which is often a good sign of the disease. Armillaria root rot, also referred to as oak root rot, is caused by the pathogen Desarmillaria caespitosa in the Southeast. The symptoms of armillaria…

  Justin Ballew

  July 24, 2025

  Question of the Week

  armillaria root rot, Disease, fungus, Peaches, Question of the Week

• Question of the Week – Armillaria Root Rot

  

  This week, the question was: What is growing at the base of this peach tree? These are mushrooms from the fungal root disease Armillaria Root Rot (Armillaria spp.). This soil-borne disease is of major concern for the stone fruit industry as it causes premature tree decline. There are currently no resistant rootstocks available. Therefore, cultural…

  Justin Ballew

  July 6, 2023

  Question of the Week

  armillaria root rot, Disease, fungi, oak root rot, Peaches, Question of the Week