Horticulture/Cankers

Canker is a general term for a large number of different plant diseases, characterised by broadly similar symptoms including the appearance of distorted, tumor-like growth and areas of dead tissue, which grow slowly, often over a period of years. Some are of only minor consequence, but others are ultimately lethal, and of major economic importance in agriculture and horticulture. Different cankers and anthracnoses are caused by a wide range of organisms, including fungi, bacteria,phytoplasmas and viruses. The majority of canker-causing organisms are tied obligately to a single host species or genus, but a few will attack a wider range of plants.

Some cankers are treatable with fungicides or bactericides, but many are not; often the only treatment available is to destroy the infected plant to prevent the disease from spreading to other plants.

Bacterial Cankers

 * Ash bacterial canker, caused by the bacterium Pseudomonas syringae
 * Citrus canker, caused by the bacterium Xanthomonas axonopodis
 * Poplar canker, caused by the bacterium Xanthomonas populi

Fungal Cankers

 * Apple canker, caused by the fungi Nectria galligena
 * Butternut canker, caused by the fungus Sirococcus clavigigenti-juglandacearum
 * Cypress canker, caused by the fungus Seridium cardinale
 * Dogwood anthracnose, caused by the fungus Discula destructiva
 * Grape canker, caused by the water mold Eutypa lata
 * Honey locust canker, caused by the fungus Thyronectria austro-americana
 * Mulberry canker, caused by the fungus Gibberella baccata
 * Oak canker, caused by the fungus Diplodia quercina
 * Pine pitch canker, caused by the fungus Fusarium pini
 * Plane anthracnose, caused by the fungus Apiognomonia veneta
 * Rapeseed stem canker, caused by the blackleg fungus Leptosphaeria maculans
 * Rose cankers, caused by the fungi Leptosphaeria coniothyrium and Cryptosporella umbrina
 * Scleroderris canker, caused by the fungus Gremmeniella abietina
 * Willow anthracnose, caused by the fungus Marssonina salicicola