Development of a disease severity rating scale for plane tree anthracnose

Anthracnose caused by the fungus Apiognomonia veneta (Sacc. et Speg.) Höhnel., is the most important and frequent disease affecting mature ornamental plane trees (Platanus×hybrida Brot.=P.×acerifolia (Ait.)Willd.) of central Spain. Symptoms of the disease are: leaf vein and petiole necrosis, bud death, defoliation, proliferation of shoots growing in whorls, short internodes, cankers, necrotic lesions and twigs and branches growing in angles. Based on our previous experience, a disease severity rating scale (DSRS) has been established, consisting of six levels: 0=healthy, 1=initial, 2=low, 3=medium, 4=high and 5=dead. In order to achieve a better and more efficient measure of disease intensity we tried to quantify this visual scale using mathematical criteria. In 2000, 610 mature trees up to 200 years old, divided into 4 age classes, were selected and systematically evaluated using a visual estimation based method. The trees were located in central Spain, mainly in two periurban areas of the town of Aranjuez (south of Madrid) and in three urban areas of Madrid city. Trees were observed in late spring, summer and winter. We recorded visual estimation of disease severity, foliage cover, healthy new shoots, dead branches, shoot growth in whorls and branch growth in angles. The statistical relationship between the parameters, disease severity and all the variables recorded (defoliation, healthy new shoots, etc.) has been evaluated. “Leaf density”, “dead branches” and “healthy shoots” were the variables that help to discriminate better between the different levels of the DSRS. A clearer definition of the different phases of disease severity will facilitate the application of possible control methods and the prediction of the behaviour of other Platanus spp.