P-287 - Susceptibility of Redbud Cultivars to Vascular Streak Dieback

Monday, August 4, 2025

3:45 PM - 4:30 PM HST

Location: Exhibit Hall 3

Presenting Author(s)

FB

Fulya Baysal-Gurel, n/a

Associate Professor
Tennessee State University, Otis L. Floyd Nursery Research Center, Department of Agriculture Sciences and Engineering
McMinnville, TN, USA

Author(s)

CO

Cansu Oksel, n/a

Post-doctoral
Tennessee State University
McMinnville, Tennessee, United States
TS

Terri Simmons

Tennessee State University
McMinnville, Tennessee, United States
KH

Kumuditha Hikkaduwa Epa Liyanage

Tennessee State University
Nashville, Tennessee, United States
PL

Prabha Liyanapathiranage, PhD

State Plant Pathologist
Tennessee Department of Agriculture
Nashville, Tennessee, United States
SD

Sujan Dawadi, n/a

Post-doctoral
Tennessee State University
McMinnville, Tennessee, United States

Abstract Text: Vascular Streak Dieback (VSD) poses a significant threat to redbud nursery producers in the southeastern United States. Although the exact causal agents of VSD have not yet been confirmed, molecular identification has linked Ceratobasidium sp. to redbuds exhibiting symptoms of VSD, including leaf scorch, tip dieback, defoliation, leaf yellowing, and interveinal chlorosis. VSD has already resulted in substantial economic losses for many growers across the country. Identifying VSD-tolerant cultivars could offer a cost-effective and efficient solution to mitigate the impact of this disease. The study was conducted at both a commercial nursery and the Otis L. Floyd Nursery Research Center experimental plot in Tennessee using a completely randomized design with 10 replications of two-year-old redbud plants. The evaluations included Eastern redbud (Cercis canadensis), several C. canadensis cultivars, and one cultivar of C. chinensis in both locations. Plants were evaluated for VSD-related symptoms from May 22 to November 6, 2024, at 14-day intervals, under natural infection conditions. Redbud cultivars with yellow foliage and papery leaves exhibited severe symptoms, such as leaf scorch and defoliation, compared to other cultivars. Identifying cultivars with varying levels of susceptibility and tolerance to VSD will not only promote sustainable production but also support breeding programs aimed at developing hybrids with desirable horticultural traits and improved resistance to VSD.