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Soil properties associated with the tree decline ‘Mundulla Yellows’

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Abstract

Czerniakowski, B., Crnov, R., Smith, I. W. and Luck, J.E. 2006.

Mundulla Yellows (MY) is a progressive dieback syndrome of Eucalyptus and other native species that was first reported in the 1970s. Despite being observed in Australia for over 30 years, the cause of MY has not been determined. To investigate the role of soil properties in MY, foliage and soil from underneath 40 Eucalyptus camaldulensis Dehnh., E. leucoxylon F. Muell. or E. cladocalyx F. Muell. trees from ten sites in South Australia and Victoria, Australia, were analysed. Soil from sites with symptomatic trees had significantly higher pH, EC and lower available iron when compared to soil from sites with asymptomatic trees. High levels of carbonates (CO 2−3 /HCO −3 ) dominated the aqueous soil extract from sites with symptomatic trees. Foliage analysis of 20 symptomatic trees indicated lower levels of total Fe and Mn and higher levels of Na and Cl, compared to 20 asymptomatic trees. This is the first report that associates soil and nutrients with Mundulla Yellows tree decline.

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Acknowledgments

Dr. Stephanie Williams, Dr. Adrian Stokes, Mr. Gordon Hinge and Mr. Anthony Lowe, Mundulla property owners, Mr. Ian Rogers, Geelong City Council, Ms Judy Locke and Victorian Parks and Wildlife staff, Mr. David Smith, University of Melbourne and Dr. David Paton, Adelaide University. We would like to thank the Victorian Department of Primary Industries, SA Department of Environment and Heritage and the Australian Department of the Environment and Heritage for supporting this research into Mundulla Yellows. This work is dedicated to the late Mr. Geoff Cotton, who brought Mundulla Yellows to the attention of Australian Research and Environment agencies.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Primary Industries Research Victoria, 621 Burwood Hwy, Knoxfield, Melbourne, Victoria, 3180, Australia

    Barbara Czerniakowski, Rosa Crnov & Jo E. Luck

  2. School of Forest and Ecosystem Science, University of Melbourne, 123 Brown St, Heidelberg, 3084, Victoria, Australia

    Ian W. Smith

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  1. Barbara Czerniakowski
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  2. Rosa Crnov
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  3. Ian W. Smith
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  4. Jo E. Luck
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Correspondence to Barbara Czerniakowski.

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Czerniakowski, B., Crnov, R., Smith, I. et al. Soil properties associated with the tree decline ‘Mundulla Yellows’. Plant Soil 285, 197–206 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11104-006-9005-7

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11104-006-9005-7

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