Grapevine

New hazard maps may predict rust disease in loblolly pine trees

New models developed by University of Georgia researchers may help guide the fight against rust disease, according to a new study. The paper is published in the journal Forest Ecology and Management.

Fusiform rust is one of the costliest diseases in the timber industry and is especially damaging to the loblolly pine. The disease causes deformities that cause the wood to be unusable, and severely damaged trees are often culled.

Even if the tree is not culled, the disease increases the risk for further damage and limits its growth.

The researchers studied how climate and genetic factors interact to shape the likelihood of disease in loblolly pines across the Southeast. They used that data to visually show where fusiform rust is most likely to be found.

These new hazard maps may explain up to 93.1% of the deviance observed in the model.