Dying Atemoyas

[FruitGrower]

I have a PPC atemoya that was healthy till a few days ago and all of a sudden started wilting and showing signs of drought stress even though it’s getting watered daily. There’s a Geffner atemoya 10 feet away in the same conditions that is doing well. I have a similar issue with my Page atemoya in another location that’s only 3-4 feet from a perfectly healthy Geffner.
The root systems on both trees seem to be healthy as when I pull they are firm. Is there some kind of disease that may be attacking these trees or does anyone have any idea of what could have happened. The recent change I can think of was an application of minor nutrients (iron, zinc, boron, manganese) but I wouldn’t think that would do any harm?

[Santa Maria 9b]

My Cheromoya's lose their leaves like this every spring and regrow them a few weeks later. My guess would be that the seasonal conditions this year triggered your Atemoya's Cheromoya DNA to do a spring leaf dump.

[FruitGrower]

My Cheromoya's lose their leaves like this every spring and regrow them a few weeks later. My guess would be that the seasonal conditions this year triggered your Atemoya's Cheromoya DNA to do a spring leaf dump.

Thank you for that response and atemoyas do the same here but those leaves are actually the new leaves that pushed out last month, after the winter leaves fell off.

[achetadomestica]

You said you recently gave them something for micros?

[FruitGrower]

You said you recently gave them something for micros?

Yes, chelated iron, zinc, and manganese. I’ve used this before without any adverse effects but now I’m wondering if that was it?

[FruitGrower]

Here are some pictures of the dying Page/ Lisa atemoya 4 ft. from a healthy Geffner. Hopefully these pics can help with diagnosing the problem.

[Galatians522]

Ambrosia beetle damage can look like water stress. It is especially common in over watered trees. Your trees don't have tiny holes drilled into the bark anywhere, do they?

[FruitGrower]

Ambrosia beetle damage can look like water stress. It is especially common in over watered trees. Your trees don't have tiny holes drilled into the bark anywhere, do they?

I have been watering daily with this drought and maybe I’ve been overwatering. I will check the trees for the tiny holes and report back. Thanks.

[Guanabanus]

First picture:  some deficiency, perhaps of Sulfur and Magnesium;  or the beginning of intoxication by the saliva injections from potatoe leaf hoppers.

Second picture:  Rapid death from root rot or from Southern Bacterial Wilt.  The first is usually from flooding or overwatering, especially in soil high in compost or other organic matter, or other slow-draining issue.  The second is usually in soil contaminated by diseased tomatoes, or tomato relatives;  this bacteria can survive in soil for over 7 years.   Looks hopeless, but if sap is still rising in the plant, a drench with Alliette or Flanker may save the plant.  As these products are poisonous, don't eat any fruit or other produce grown in that spot, for at least a year.  Best to use that space for above ground container production.

Fourth and fifth pictures:  Different issue, not sure.  Perhaps a toxicity.

[FruitGrower]

First picture:  some deficiency, perhaps of Sulfur and Magnesium;  or the beginning of intoxication by the saliva injections from potatoe leaf hoppers.

Second picture:  Rapid death from root rot or from Southern Bacterial Wilt.  The first is usually from flooding or overwatering, especially in soil high in compost or other organic matter, or other slow-draining issue.  The second is usually in soil contaminated by diseased tomatoes, or tomato relatives;  this bacteria can survive in soil for over 7 years.   Looks hopeless, but if sap is still rising in the plant, a drench with Alliette or Flanker may save the plant.  As these products are poisonous, don't eat any fruit or other produce grown in that spot, for at least a year.  Best to use that space for above ground container production.

Fourth and fifth pictures:  Different issue, not sure.  Perhaps a toxicity.

Thank you Har. Your expertise and willingness to share it is always appreciated!! My inclination is that your diagnosis of root rot was spot on. I have been watering daily with the drought we’ve been having and then we had a downpour that immediately preceded the trees decline. Here’s some pics of the tree pulled out. Hopefully others can learn from my mistakes.

[FruitGrower]

Ambrosia beetle damage can look like water stress. It is especially common in over watered trees. Your trees don't have tiny holes drilled into the bark anywhere, do they?

Here’s some pics of the closest thing to holes I found on the PPC. I don’t think they are signs of the beetle and suspect root rot as Har said.  I will look for the holes on my Page/ Lisa atemoya this weekend to see if maybe that’s what’s affecting that one. Thanks!

[Galatians522]

No holes = no ambrosia beetles. Its good to know that Aliette takes care of root rot. Thanks for posting, it helped me learn something too!

[pineislander]

The use of landscape fabric around trees is probably not a good idea and may have exacerbated the problem. I know it is supposed to be permeable but the pores can close over time reducing carbon dioxide, oxygen and other gas exchanges. I'd sure hate to spend even one afternoon underneath a hot smothering sheet of it, much less being under it forever.

My neighbor bought a tree nursery which had nearly an acre of fabric covered lay down yard for their potted stock plants. Someone expediently just planted 100 mango trees in the fabric. Those trees suffered for years making very little growth until an 85 year old Cuban man took the time to pull it all up. The trees became healthy, made great growth and are now finally carrying fruit.

Maybe some day trees could adapt to growing under black plastic but nature has evolved them to live on healthy soils instead.

 

[FruitGrower]

The use of landscape fabric around trees is probably not a good idea and may have exacerbated the problem. I know it is supposed to be permeable but the pores can close over time reducing carbon dioxide, oxygen and other gas exchanges. I'd sure hate to spend even one afternoon underneath a hot smothering sheet of it, much less being under it forever.

My neighbor bought a tree nursery which had nearly an acre of fabric covered lay down yard for their potted stock plants. Someone expediently just planted 100 mango trees in the fabric. Those trees suffered for years making very little growth until an 85 year old Cuban man took the time to pull it all up. The trees became healthy, made great growth and are now finally carrying fruit.

Maybe some day trees could adapt to growing under black plastic but nature has evolved them to live on healthy soils instead.

Thank you for that feedback. I actually wasn’t going to put that ground cover down but I will be having gravel put in and was advised to use it or the weeds would go through. I tried to open large holes  around the trees to prevent issues but will definitely keep an eye on it.
I’m curious how long your friends trees took to show decline as I know Hidden Acres uses a tarp right up to the trunk of the tree and they have productive, albeit young trees.

[pineislander]

I’m curious how long your friends trees took to show decline as I know Hidden Acres uses a tarp right up to the trunk of the tree and they have productive, albeit young trees.

They were planted directly into the landscape fabric and hardly grew for years until it was removed.

Weeds will grow on both landscape fabric and gravel. Usually gravel is laid on top of landcsape fabric. With either your only option when the inevitable weeds move in would be constant spraying herbicides. Your choice, but none of the options you mention allow for building healthy soil which trees depend on for good growth.
Thoughts from a pro on the subject, he mentions the rotten smell noted when landscape fabric is removed:
 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ovq3oZi5O64

[850FL]

I dump about 1ft of leaf matter & debris over any given area with weeds and grass. It smothers most of them. May have to keep dumping, a few stragglers might pull through, but eventually after a few dumps the problem will be solved, and you will be enriching your soil enormously.
With that root rot sapling i would have chopped it to a stump, drenched both the stump and soil with medium strength sulfur, and put it in full sun. may have had a chance, maybe not.
Maybe you overfertilized some of these and thrown the pH off? Or fertilizing too much with some minerals may lock out others? Next time id just fertilized with a 'full spectrum' pH balanced fertilizer if you know what i mean, mid strength..

Could be a number of things

[gnappi]

Watering daily?

[FruitGrower]

Watering daily?

I was.

Thank you Pineislander and 850Fl for your feedback. I will be keeping an eye on the trees growing with tarp and compare to the other areas that don’t have it. If needed I will remove it in the future, thanks.

[pineislander]

I see you are probably in a tough area to grow Miami with some hard ground to dig through I wish you good luck!

[Guanabanus]

Did the soil smell bad?

The small roots that were white were still alive.

Next time, probably plant on a mound.

[FruitGrower]

Did the soil smell bad?

The small roots that were white were still alive.

Next time, probably plant on a mound.

It was soggy/ mucky but did not smell bad yet. Whatever I plant there will definitely be on a mound. Thanks!