One day after reading Reed's description of treating Hypoxylon, I was cutting back a declining red oak and found it had infected the whole upper trunk.
the customer is agreeable to attacking the fungus, despite imo low odds of success. (also agreeable to fertilize/mulch as I'd recommended 3 yrs ago, so the tree has SOME chance.)
Reed, if you can send me an email address, I'll scan an image of a trunk section and send it along. We can locate conidia mycelia etc. and compare notes on this experimental methodology without bogging down this listserv.
My email info@BetterTreeCare.com

Reply to post by Guy, on December 14, 2001 at 07:12:09:

I sent you an address we can use, thank you.

One more thing though, that tree, the die-back and your observations at the cut - do you have a history of that die-back (ie: first noted crown loss, etc.)?

Predisposition from varied events to hypoxylon is common yet sometimes gives us an opportunity to pinpoint infection lattitudes - I recall your N.C. location, have gypsy moths or extended drought exacerbated any conditions there? Had there been any early season defoliations or late Spring leaf loss noted? There's a researcher here in Texas beginning a carbohydrate study - the use of and measurement of reserves and depletion in rebudding. This will be a significant study but for me a valuable contribution in sugar reserves at different times of the season - abnormal susceptibility to invading pathogens as a result. Is there any chance you took xylem tissue for Zinc levels? Are there any advantitious sprouts on the trunk lower down?
I ask because there are (by the time crown loss occurs) other invaders we can also address at time of treatment - important secondary infections that by our experience tumble down in domino effect if handled correctly.

Okay, got to go and climb a bit today and my aching shoulders are telling me to go sailing instead. Thank you Guy, looking forward to sharing some observations together,

Reed