Impacts of Dogwood Anthracnose (Discula destructiva Redlin) on the Fruits of Flowering Dogwood (Cornus florida L.): Implications for Wildlife

Abstract

Abstract Flowering dogwood (Cornus florida L.) fruits are an important fall food for many species of birds and mammals throughout the eastern United States. However, the rapid spread of the fungal disease dogwood anthracnose (Discula destructiva Redlin) has caused extensive mortality of dogwoods throughout the Appalachians. We examined the impacts of dogwood anthracnose on the production of inflorescences by flowering dogwoods in western North Carolina as an indication of fruit production. We also collected ripe fruits in the fall, weighed the pulps and analyzed them for protein, lipids, Ca, K, Mg and P. Only one-third of 173 live trees flowered. Large trees were significantly more likely to flower than small trees, and as disease severity increased, the probability of flowering decreased. Neither the mean number of inflorescences per tree nor mean pulp weight differed among two size classes or three disease categories of trees. However, pulps from moderately infected trees contained significantly more Ca...