Author Topic: Pawpaw (A. triloba) seedling leaf browning problem?  (Read 1946 times)

Triloba Tracker

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Pawpaw (A. triloba) seedling leaf browning problem?
« on: May 04, 2017, 01:05:30 PM »
I will try to add pictures as soon as I can get them.

I have several new seedlings, about 5 inches tall with about 3 nice leaves each. Almost all of these seedlings have a peculiar issue.
The growing tip, where the new baby leaves form, has turned bronze/gold/brownish. The seedlings otherwise look perfectly healthy.
This is not a dried-up-shriveled kind of thing, just a discoloration, though they seem to be in a bit of a growth stupor. (we've had unusually cool and wet weather, I'd say).

Any thoughts as to what is causing this, or even if this is something to be concerned about?

Even some of my 2nd year seedlings have this. Only a few of the plants (the very youngest that are only a couple inches tall) and a couple of the 2-year-olds do NOT have this issue. On these plants, the tiny growing tip is green or even whitish.

All help appreciated!

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Re: Pawpaw (A. triloba) seedling leaf browning problem?
« Reply #1 on: May 07, 2017, 08:54:33 AM »
Here is what i'm talking about:



googer

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Re: Pawpaw (A. triloba) seedling leaf browning problem?
« Reply #2 on: May 07, 2017, 02:29:14 PM »
Upon close examination of the young leaf, it looks like the browning may just be excessive pubescence. If you look closely at the axillary buds on the leaf nodes further down the plant, you can see more of this browning which seems consistent with pubescence, and you can also see some brown fuzz along the margin of the uppermost developed leaf. The fact that only a few of your pawpaws are developing this bronzing suggests that you may just have a really hairy genotype on your hands. Probably nothing to worry about, but I'd keep an eye on the baby leaves until you can see they are developing healthily.

Best of luck with your seedlings.

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Re: Pawpaw (A. triloba) seedling leaf browning problem?
« Reply #3 on: May 07, 2017, 06:40:29 PM »
Upon close examination of the young leaf, it looks like the browning may just be excessive pubescence. If you look closely at the axillary buds on the leaf nodes further down the plant, you can see more of this browning which seems consistent with pubescence, and you can also see some brown fuzz along the margin of the uppermost developed leaf. The fact that only a few of your pawpaws are developing this bronzing suggests that you may just have a really hairy genotype on your hands. Probably nothing to worry about, but I'd keep an eye on the baby leaves until you can see they are developing healthily.

Best of luck with your seedlings.
Thank you, Googer!

I was out in the woods today grafting some wild trees, and guess what I saw.......almost EVERY tree had the exact same bronze leading tip.

I suppose I had just never paid attention before. Breathing a big sigh of relief here.

Though I did find that the water in my rain barrel that I had treated with pH Down had inexplicably rocketed to 8+ pH, and it also had a filmy/cloudy appearance. not sure what that was, but needless to say I will be using a different water source.