Authorities worry about shot-hole borer beetle on Johannesburg trees
JOHANNESBURG – We are at risk of losing up to 38 per cent of our trees in Johannesburg.
Residents of Johannesburg need to be aware of the spread of a fungus that is poisoning trees and authorities say they are still doing research to find a cure.
The discovery of the shot-hole borer beetle and fungus is of major concern to foresters, farmers and landscapers, as these organisms are known as aggressive tree killers.
This beetle gets its name from causing the trunk of the tree to look like it has been ‘peppered’ by a shotgun.
According to the authorities, it is rife in various parts of the country and has now been found in Johannesburg.
Professor Wilhelm de Beer, an associate professor in microbiology at the University of Pretoria, said the information received is horrifying.
Prof. de Beer, who was recently invited by a resident, Donnalee Mccallum, to give a talk about the subject at the Killarney Country Club, said we are at risk of losing up to 38 per cent of our trees in Johannesburg.
The professor said this fungus has been found in botanical gardens including in Emmarentia and it kills English oaks, kapok, paperbark, hartswater, wild plum, monkey thorn, acacias and yellow wood to mention a few.
It also affects fruit trees including avocado trees, he added.
“The distressing news is that we need at least another 10 years of research and R15 million to R20 million – and we need expertise. International assistance is going to have to be sought,” said Prof. de Beer.
According to Forest Agricultural Biotechnical Institute’s (Fabi) website, the beetle which is common in south-east Asia, carries several fungal species, one of which is fusarium euwallaceae. “It bores through the bark into the sapwood of the trees and inoculates the fungus into living wood. The fungus grows in the galleries (tunnels) made by the beetle and serves as ‘vegetable garden’ for the beetle larvae, but in susceptible trees, the fungus can spread through the sapwood causing disease or even death of the tree.”
A team of Fabians, under the supervision of Prof. de Beer, Brett Hurley and Noelani van den Berg, will continue to monitor the spread and host range of the beetle in South Africa.
They will also assess the risks posed to crop trees, commercial forests and ornamental trees in South Africa and investigate possible control measures.
Ward 72 councillor Eleanor Huggett said in a nutshell, this beetle is currently having devastating effects on trees in Johannesburg. “It is a worldwide problem at the moment, and Johannesburg has been hit badly. The beetle burrows into the bark of the tree and eats it from the inside out.”
There is currently no known cure for it and the only way to deal with infected trees is to cut them down and burn them as soon as possible to prevent further infection of other trees, she added.
For assistance on how to treat individual trees, you can contact Jakes Jenson from Earth Dance on 076 811 6179.
Details: eleanorhuggett@gmail.com
