Pg. 3-4 Litchi Dieback

There are two distinct disease syndromes associated with litchi death. One is attributable to Armillaria on its own. This is found in the valleys north and west of Tzaneen. The second is associated with Fusarium, Botryosphaeria [sensu larga], Phomopsis and perhaps Armillaria. This is causing tree death in the Nelspruit and Malelane regions. Five to six thousand mature trees have been lost to the disease, which represents an annual crop loss of around three million rand, although only a score of farms have the disease. A field trial has been initiated.