Kirramyces leaf diseases

Teratosphaeria epicoccoides

• Initially, small purple angular leaf spots are obvious on upper leaf surfaces. These expand and coalesce, eventually covering the entire leaf surface.
• Lesions on the lower surface turn yellow to yellow-brown, forming angular blotches delimited by leaf veins.
• Brown to black spores may cover the underside of the leaf, giving a 'charcoal' appearance.

T. viscidus

• Circular or irregular necrotic (disease) spots appear on both leaf surfaces, with red borders on the upper surface.
• Severe shape distortion in young leaves.
• Conidia (spore masses) appear as crusty black masses.
• Infection begins in the lower canopy and spreads to the top, in some cases resulting in more than 90% defoliation.

T. psuedoeucalypti

• Necrotic (diseased) leaf spots (2–15mm diameter) appear on both leaf surfaces.
• Spots are single or joined, light to medium brown with red-purple margins.
• Crusty black masses are formed by conidia (spore masses) accumulating on lesions.

T. corymbiae

• Leaf spots are yellow-brown to tan and occur on both leaf surfaces.
• Usually affects fully expanded foliage on trees older than 2 years.

Teratosphaeria epicoccoides

• Widespread throughout the tropics and subtropics.

T. viscidus

• Only identified from Mareeba in North Queensland
• Possibly more widespread in tropical Australia.

T. psuedoeucalypti

• Current distribution unknown but may prefer subtropical and tropical climates.

T. corymbiae

• Widespread in subtropical areas of Queensland and New South Wales.

Teratosphaeria epicoccoides

• Eucalyptus grandis
• E. grandis hybrids
• E. pellita.

T. viscidus

• Eucalyptus grandis (damage was limited to lower foliage in the Copperload provenance)
• E. grandis x E. camaldulensis.

T. psuedoeucalypti

• Eucalyptus grandis hybrids
• Full host range unknown but observations suggest that Corymbia species are not susceptible.

T. corymbiae

• Corymbia species.

Teratosphaeria epicoccoides

• Affects older leaves in the lower canopy but sometimes throughout the crown.
• Infects older leaves causing premature senescence (deterioration with age) and leaf-loss spreads upwards from the lower canopy.
• Common in warmer and wetter months, and seasonal.
• Severe infection can result in complete defoliation.

T. viscidus

• Severe impact has been seen in Eucalyptus grandis x E. camaldulensis hybrids originating from South America where infection in new shoots and young foliage resulted in 75% defoliation.

T. psuedoeucalypti

• Severe defoliation (>75%) has occurred in central and south-eastern Queensland.
• Repeat infections have made some areas no longer viable for commercial plantations of susceptible species.
• Greatest impact on Eucalyptus grandis hybrids.

T. corymbiae

• Rarely severe enough to cause defoliation.

Teratosphaeria epicoccoides

• No specific chemicals have been registered for this pathogen.

T. viscidus

• No management required, as Eucalyptus grandis hybrids are not planted commercially in Far North Queensland.
• Relatively low disease in Australian E. grandis (Copperload) suggest some resistance.
• Tree germplasm developed overseas in the absence of Australian pests and diseases is potentially more susceptible.

T. psuedoeucalypti

• Avoid planting E. grandis hybrids, particularly germplasm developed overseas.

T. corymbiae

• None required.

• Carnegie, A, Lawson, SA, Smith, T, Pegg, GS, Stone, C, and McDonald, J 2008, Healthy hardwoods: a field guide to pests, diseases and nutritional disorders in subtropical hardwoods, Forest and Wood Products Australia, Victoria.
• Pests and diseases image library (PaDIL)
• Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority (APVMA)