Disrupting one element of this cycle can help keep the damage from agrobacterium to a minimal and manageable amount. You can treat small growths with this compound, and it may help to reduce them. If your property has a history of crown gall infections, avoid planting fruit trees or other susceptible plants. · there are some treatment options that may or may not work. · preventing and managing apple crown gall disease, a comprehensive guide for growers, how to handle crown gall in apple trees. Avoid injuries to the bark, roots, and crown while planting. Another option is gallex. Over time they darken and turn woodsy. Do not replant susceptible species in infected soil. · initially, apple tree crown galls look light and spongy. The bacteria can persist for several years in the soil. Unfortunately, there is no apple crown gall treatment that cures this disease. Prune out galls when practical. · there is no known cure for crown gall disease, and the best control is prevention. The disease cycle for agrobacterium tumefaciens is key to ensuring proper management of this difficult apple disease. If a recently planted tree develops crown gall , remove the tree and adjacent soil; Your best bet for how to manage apple crown gall is to take great care not to damage the tree during planting. Also remove roots and surrounding soil where possible. Sterilize pruning tools between cuts to avoid spreading bacteria to healthy tissue. Don’t paint more than half of the area around the stem. When pruning, disinfect pruning tools between cuts. If there are not too many galls, the branches and parts of the trunk where the tumours occur can be pruned off and destroyed – do not compost infected plant material! You can paint the growths on the stems with paint that contains antibiotics. · remove and destroy declining trees with large crown galls.
