Knowledgebase

Raspberry Disease #196650

Asked July 03, 2014, 11:17 PM EDT

Please find attached some pictures of some of my raspberry plants.  They were planted in early Spring of last year and became established rather quickly.  By mid summer, the same disease (see attached pictures taken of this years growth) overtook them and they had to be destroyed.  No fruit matured and the buds did not look healthy. The same disease has nearly destroyed them again this year.   It appears that the same disease has affected the squash, tomatoes, and beets.

I have taken some of the infected leaves and vegetation to Western Gardens for some advice.  After three visits it was concluded that it was some kind of a fungus.  Last year they advised me to spray with a product called TRIPPLE ACTION PLUS II, a Ferti-lome product (Insecticide, Fungicide, Miticide) It never slowed it down.  This year they advised me to use another Ferti-lome product called BROAD SPECTRUM, strictly used for fungicide.  As evident by the pictures, it hasn't taken care of the  problem.

Plants watered by drip system.

Soil -- Potting soil in a grow box.

Diseased trimmings and destroyed plants are removed from the area.

I really need some help.

Thank you for your time.

Terry Tullis.



Salt Lake County Utah

Expert Response

I'm sorry to say, it is not possible to tell what is going on from the pictures. It is definitely not a disease as there are very few diseases of raspberries in Utah, and the diseases we do have show different symptomology from your pictures.  It could be one of 3 things:
spider mites
rose stem girdler (my #1 suspicion)
raspberry crown borer.

To tell if the problem is rose stem girdler, slice open a few canes that are showing symptoms. Slice them in half lengthwise from the bottom to the top. Do you see any brown "sawdust" looking material? (A healthy can will have a white interior). You may even find a hole in the cane or an actual borer inside.

The best option to get to the bottom of it is to have the problem diagnosed professionally, by the Utah Plant Pest Diagnostic Lab. Submit an entire plant (OK to cut it in half to fit in box) that is still alive but showing symptoms. You can find more instructions here: http://utahpests.usu.edu/uppdl/htm/forms.  The cost is $7, and worth it to figure out the problem.  It sounds like you have been applying unneeded pesticides.

An Ask Extension Expert Replied July 04, 2014, 4:34 PM EDT

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