Incidence and impact of fusiform rust vary with silviculture in slash pine plantations

Five-year results of an ongoing study to determine growth response of slash pine to different cultural practices in central Louisiana showed that fusiform rust stem infection rate was higher in weeded than in control plots and higher yet in weeded and bedded plots. Six levels of culture, including control, were compared. Fertilization, irrigation, or their combination, in addition to weeding and bedding, did not further increase stem infection rate. Infected trees grew more slowly than uninfected trees in all treatments. Rust in this plantation will reduce a potentially attractive increase in growth-from weeding, bedding, and fertilizer to an uneconomic one.