Connecticut State The Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station

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What’s New

--Updates, Alerts, and News from the PDIO--

September 2025

Three New Fact Sheets Published Online

Volutella Blight of Pachysandra                     Black Rot of Brassicas   

Image of the first page of the Volutella blight of pachysandra fact sheet                image of the first page of the black rot of brassicas fact sheet

Bacterial Wilt of Cucurbits

image of the first page of the bacterial wilt of cucurbits fact sheet

August 2025

Biologia y manejo actualizado de la Enfermedad de las Hojas de Haya

Updated Beech Leaf Disease Biology and Management in Spanish was published on CAES website. See linke above and below. 

image of the first page of updated beech leaf disease biology and management fact sheet in Spanish

June 2025

Updated Beech Leaf Disease Biology and Management (Updated May 2025)

image of the first page of updated beech leaf disease biology and management fact sheet

May 2025

Anthracnose Prevalent on Shade Trees

Cool and wet spring weather conditions favored anthracnose diseases on shade trees this year. For more details of this disease, please read the fact sheet  Anthracnose Diseases of Trees.               

image of sympotms of dogwood anthracnose with small brown spots on leaves               image of symptoms of oak anthracnose with browning of leaves

Dogwood Anthracnose - Brown spots on leaves           Oak anthracnose - Leaf blotch and curling of leaves

What Causes Brown Spots in My Lawn?

Red thread, an early-spring fungal disease, can cause pinkish brown spots in lawns. The linked fact sheet, Red Thread of Turfgrass, describes this disease and strategies for its control. 

image of red thread disease with brown spots in a lawn    a close-up image of red thread of turfgrass with pink fungal growth on diseased grasses

Pinkish brown spots in a lawn

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Brown Rot Killing Twigs on Flowering Cherry Trees

image of brown dead tiwgs hanging on a cherry tree that was infected by brown rot disease   a closeup image of a dead twig on a cherry tree that was infected by brown rot disease

Drooping and browning of small twigs on flwoering cherry trees, which are caused by Brown Rot

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April 2025

A New Fact Sheet - Weather Effects on Broad-Leaved Evergreens, 2024-2025

the first page of weatjer effects pm brpad-;eaved evergreems

Curling of Leaves and Dying of Rhododendron Bushes after the Winter

browning and drooping of rhododendon leaves  browning and drooping of rhododendron leaves

The Plant Disease Information Office has been receiving numerous inquiries of winter injury on rhododendron bushes this year. Symptoms include curling of leaves and diebacks. For more information, linked please find a new fact sheet Weather Effects on Broad-Leaved Evergreens, 2024-2025.

March 2025

Be on the Lookout for Diseases on Bedding Plants

powdery mildew of petunia                     tomato spotted wilt virus on cineraria

         Powdery mildew on petunia                        Tomato spotted wilt virus on cineraria

Recently, we confirmed powdery mildew on petunia and tomato spotted wilt virus on cineraria from the bedding plant samples that were sent to the Plant Disease Information Office. Linked please find fact sheets, Powdery and Downy Mildews of Greenhouse Crops  and   Viral Diseases (TSWV/INSV) of Bedding Plants, that describe more details of these diseases. For plant disease diagnosis and confirmation, please send us samples by following the Samples Submission Guidelines. 

 

January 2025

New Fact Sheet Published Online

the first page of the fact sheet Alternaria leaf spot of brassicas

Alternaria leaf spot is a common disease of brassica vegetables including broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower, and kale. The disease attacks leaves, stems, curds/heads, seed pods, and seed. Severe infections may cause pre- and post-harvest yield loss and quality reduction, respectively. Read more details in the linked fact sheet Alternaria Leaf Spot of Brassicas