Black knot of plum, caused by the fungus Apiosporina mobosa, is a serious disease of plums, prunes, and wild cherry trees. The disease is well named because of the characteristic black, warty knots it forms on branches of infected trees. Such trees grow poorly and gradually become stunted; occasionally, their limbs may be girdled. The disease is most important on plum, prunes, and sour and wild cherry trees.

Symptoms

The disease is present only in the woody parts of trees, occurring most frequently on twigs and branches and sometimes on trunks and scaffold limbs. The warty swellings first become visible in late summer or the following spring on new shoots. At first the knots are somewhat greenish and corky, but with age they become black and hard. They vary in length from an inch to nearly a foot. Many times they do not completely circle the branch. Those a year old or older may become covered with the pinkish white mold of another fungus and may become riddled with insects, especially lesser peach tree borers. Limbs and sometimes whole trees are stunted and eventually killed by the ever-expanding knots.

Disease Cycle

About the time new seasonal growth is 1/2 inch long, spores of the fungus are discharged from tiny sacs in the surface of the knots. These are spread by rain and wind to the new growth, where infection takes place. Spore discharge and infection are greatest during wet periods, at temperatures ranging from 55 degrees F to 75 degrees F. Infections continue to occur until terminal growth stops. A few greenish, corky swellings may become visible the fall after infection occurs, but most will not be noticed until the following spring. Generally, the knots produce no spores until the second spring after they become visible. The fungus in woody tissues continues to grow in the spring and fall, increasing the knots' length. Their eventual size depends greatly on the host species and cultivar.

Disease Management

New plantings of plums should not be made next to old ones with black knot. Remove any wild plum and cherry trees from nearby woods and fencerows for at least 500 feet from the new orchard. Inspect orchards and surrounding wooded areas each winter for knots and prune out infected shoots and limbs. Once the disease appears in the trees, remove and burn the knots before budbreak. When they occur on twigs and small branches, prune out the infected branches about 4 inches below the knot. On large branches and trunks the knots can be cut out. This is done most successfully during August when the fungus does not extend far beyond the visible swelling.

Remove the diseased wood and about 1 inch of clean wood around the knot. It is best to remove knots before growth begins in the spring and to take them away from the orchard, as they will continue to produce spores for several weeks after removal. Plant resistant cultivars when possible. The plum cultivars Shropshire and Stanley are highly susceptible; Methley, Milton, Early Italian, Brodshaw, and Fellenburg are moderately susceptible; Shiro, Santa Rosa, and Formosa are slightly susceptible; and President is apparently resistant to black knot.