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Blueberry stem lesions #241924

Asked May 05, 2015, 3:52 PM EDT

I have a two year old Legacy blueberry bush that I just planted in March. A couple of weeks ago, I noticed a lesion on one of the stems that looks like it was scraped. I figured it might have been damaged somehow before I got the plant, and I just never noticed it before. Yesterday, I noticed another lesion on a different stem that looks just like the other one. I'm attaching a photo of one of the lesions. Is this from some sort of insect, or a virus, or is it something I should be concerned about? Also, there's a leaf in the photo that's turning black. I think this might just be one of last year's leaves that's dying (Legacy retains their leaves through the winter), but it's right above the stem lesion, so I wonder if it might be related. Thank you for whatever help you can give me.

Josephine County Oregon

Expert Response

It looks like blueberry stem canker, although I cant see any little black pimple like structures that shoot out the spores. Cultural control steps include pruning out the part of the stems or canes that have the cankers. If this plant originated in the east or south it could have brought it along. This disease is not real common in Oregon. You may want to cut out one of the cankers and take it to the Master Gardener clinic in Grants Pass to verify.  
An Ask Extension Expert Replied May 05, 2015, 6:59 PM EDT

Thank you. Where is the Master Gardeners' clinic in Grants Pass? I got the Legacy plant at Murphy's Country Nursery. The woman said the blueberry plants are from Oregon, but somewhere up near Eugene or Portland, I forget which. Is this contagious, and how can I keep my other blueberry plants from getting it?

I just checked my other plants, a Blueray and a Sunshine Blue. I'm attaching photos of what might be stem cankers on the Blueray, and also the stem on the Sunshine Blue where it's rough, but I was told that's normal for blueberry stems. Can you tell me if these plants look OK, or it I should be concerned about either of them?

The Question Asker Replied May 05, 2015, 9:54 PM EDT
We operate plant clinics at the Extension office at215 Ringuette St, Grants Pass, OR 97527 from 9am to 3pm, Monday through Thursday from April through October and Tuesdays and Thursdays from 10am to 2pm from November through March. We can also be found at the Grants Pass Growers Market on Saturdays

Chrissy Lucas-Woodruff Replied May 06, 2015, 11:21 AM EDT

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