Question
QUESTION: I have a Chanticleer Pear tree that is about 30 feet tall. Last year I noticed that part of the very top of a couple of the main leaders were a pale yellow and sparsely leafed all summer long. This year more of the main leaders are showing these signs and the yellowing has moved lower in the crown, about a quarter of the way down for the leaders that were effected last year. Just the tips for the newly effected leaders. The bottom 3/4 to 2/3 of the tree has it's normal leaf color and leaf number. I'm pretty sure this isn't Fire Blight but can't find any disease descriptions that sound like my symptoms. Do you know what's happening and what the cure / treatment is??? Thanks for your time.

ANSWER: Scott:

The symptoms that you describe does not indeed sound like fire blight nor any other infectious disease that I am familiar with.  Could you send me a photo of the entire tree that shows those symptoms?  Up close, did the leaves seem to develope a fall color prematurely- that is yellow/purple, then leaves started to shed early also?

I will be glad to look at your photo.  Be sure it is in focus by reviewing it first on your computer before you send it. In the meantime, have a look at the base of the tree for anything out of the ordinary like bark damage/evidence of injury. Any excavations under the drip line of the tree? Did the tree leaf out and look normal last year?

Regards
Steve

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Dr. Vann,
I started noticing the symptoms last year but it is more widely spread throughout the crown this year and is showing signs further down into the crown. About 25% to 33% is showing the pale yellow leaves. One interesting thing is that the bloom seemed normal both years, very full top to bottom. It doesn't appear to be an early fall cycle because the symptoms have been there all season and the leaves aren't dropping. They're just yellow and very sparsely leafed. There was a metal ring filled with mulch around the the tree last year but I removed it when the top leaves started to yellow, thinking that the ring was restricting root growth. My dogs dug a small hole (1ft X 1ft X 1/2ft) about a foot out from the trunk but there is no apparent damage to the trunk itself. We did have a early spring hail storm that did quite a bit of leaf damage to all the trees. I'm sorry but I don't have a digital camera to down load a picture with at this time.

Thanks for all your help and advice.   Scott

Answer
Scott:
You may consider getting someone to visit your tree "in person". Contact your local county Agricultural Extension service to request such a visit.  The office is in the county office/courthouse building.  There is not charge for this plus these folks are trained to recognize many disorders. This is a good resource.  They may be able to find something that a photo may not show.  The symptoms that you describe may point toward a root/stem related problem.  Many of these trees are grafted and over the last few years there has been concern about how strong the rootstock is, especially on mature trees.

Regards
Steve