ABOUT TREE
WOUND DRESSINGS
Finish
the Job with “ Treekote”
An informative bulletin on the use
of tree wound dressings
Your
Grandfather was right!
Over the past 20 years, the
standard practice of covering all wounds over 1 inch in diameter with tree
wound dressing has become a controversial issue.
Most experts, including the United
States Department of Agriculture-Forest Service (www.na.fs.fed.us/spfo/pubs.howtos/ht_prune/prun001.htm)
now agree that the use of tree wound dressing is a very effective and is the
recommended method of protecting against the spread of Oak Wilt Disease and
Dutch Elm Disease. These diseases are spread primarily by insects feeding on
sap from pruned or damaged areas or air born spores contacting “open”
wounds. The application of tree wound dressing eliminates the “open
door”, helping to prevent the spread of the fungus. It is also recommended
that the stumps of infected trees that have been removed be coated with tree
wound dressing in order to prevent them from becoming “hosts”, and
aiding the spread of the fungus. Any exposed and damaged roots should also
be coated.
A study published in Arboriculture
& Urban Forestry, Volume 33, Number 2, March 2007, pages 132-139, (joa.isa-arbor.com)
(browse articles) demonstrated that Treekote
Tree Wound Dressing was effective at controlling the spread of Oak
Wilt Disease. In test wounds exposed to the fungus that causes Oak Wilt
Disease 70% of the trees where the wounds were left untreated became
infected with Oak Wilt Disease, while only 20% of the trees where the wounds
were covered with Treekote
became infected. Additionally, one of the trees treated with Treekote
was accidentally exposed when the spores were applied. If you eliminate that
tree, then the incidence of infection in trees treated with Treekote
would be only 11%. While this experiment dealt with Oak Wilt Disease, logic
dictates that similar benefits would occur with other types of fungus and
diseases. This study also notes that “many other studies have also shown
that wound dressings have some benefits when used to prevent infection from
fungal spores of various pathogens” that can infect apples and stone
fruits. (May and Palmer 1959; Luepschen and Rohrbach 1969; Gupta and
Agarwala 1972; Davis and Peterson 1973: Mercer 1982; Juzwik et al. 1985;
Biggs 1990)
Most of the controversy
surrounding the use of Tree Wound Dressings stems from the study by Alex L.
Shigo and Walter C. Shortle, published in the Journal of Arboriculture(now
Arboriculture and Urban Forestry) volume 9, number 12, December 1983 (joa.isa-arbor.com)
(browse articles) and the authors opinion that tree wound dressings will not
help. It should be noted that this study focuses on preventing decay and NOT
preventing the spread of disease. Ironically this study, which also used Treekote Tree Wound
Dressing, demonstrated (table
8) that the wounds treated with Treekote
had a lower percentage of decay fungi, a smaller area of discolored wood
(area of discoloration includes decayed wood) and less cambial dieback than
the untreated (control) wounds. Our own study has shown that wounds treated
with Treekote tree wound
dressing demonstrated an average of more than 25% greater callus growth than
untreated wounds.
The
Shigo study and other writings stress the need for proper pruning methods to
be used. Proper pruning methods maximize the trees own ability to callus
over and compartmentalize the exposed area. Even when proper pruning methods
are used Treekote
Tree Wound Dressing should be used to help control the air born
spread and insect spread of disease causing fungi..
Wounds and pruned areas that are
treated with tree wound dressings also offer a cosmetic benefit. The
wounded/pruned area where Treekote
tree wound dressing has been applied has a “finished”
appearance, while those left untreated appear, and in fact are unfinished
and potential hosts to the spread of fungus and disease.
We therefore recommend (as your Grandfather told you!) that ALL pruned or wounded
trees be treated with “Treekote” tree Wound dressing. This practice has
been proven to help control the spread of disease, speed the growth of
callus, and give your work and attractive, finished appearance.
Additional
Sources:
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