Investigate Problem

What Is Making My Cinnamon Unhealthy?

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proposes Are there any small brown specks on leaves, lesions coalesce to form irregular shaped brown patches, stems may have died back?

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Most common questions used to investigate

Are there any small brown specks on leaves, lesions coalesce to form irregular shaped brown patches, stems may have died back?

Are the plants suddenly wilting and dying back, elongated sections of dead bark are extending vertically up the tree?

Are there light brown patches which girdle stem of young seedlings followed by seedlings death?

Is the new growth damaged, the entire tree may be defoliated with only leaf veins remaining?

Are there any irregular galls on undersides of leaves, leaf stalks, and/or new stems?

Does the plant look stunted, leaves have been discolored?

Common conclusions

Leaf spot and dieback is caused by a fungus Colletotrichum gloeosporioides. Infected branches should be pruned out. Applications of 1% Bordeaux mixture can help to control the disease.

The cause for these symptoms is a fungal disease Phytophthora dieback, also known as Stripe canker. The fungus can survive for prolonged periods in the soil. Use only disease-free seed and planting material. If the disease is present in the soil then the crop should be rotated to a non-susceptible host for four years. Avoid planting in water-saturated soils. Soil drenches with an appropriate systemic fungicide may give a measure of control.

Fungal disease seedling blight is caused by Diplodia spp. This disease can be controlled by the application of a 1% Bordeaux mixture.

Cinnamon butterfly is the most serious pest on cinnamon trees. Adults are large butterflies with black-brown wings and white markings, larvae are a pale yellow caterpillar with black markings. Larvae and pupae should be handpicked from trees where possible. The application of BTK may be required to control heavy infestations.

Cinnamon gall mite is a known pest of cinnamon. Monitor for the presence of gall mites by regularly checking the undersides of leaves. In large trees, the damage is often limited and does not require control. Miticides need to be applied protectively as once the mites have entered the leaves, chemical control is ineffective.

If the whole plant looks stunted, and the roots have tiny galls on them the culprits are Root-knot nematodes. Prevent root-knot nematodes by applying chitin or introducing parasitic nematodes to the soil. Solarizing the soil also helps in preventing root-knot nematodes. Adding lots of compost to the soil will encourage fungi that attack nematodes.

If the leaves have wandered, white or translucent tunnels in them the culprits are leafminers. These tiny white, maggotlike larvae feed inside leaves. Prune off and destroy all infested leaves. Cover plants with row cover until flowers open to prevent adults from laying eggs on plants. Certain nematodes can attack leafminer larvae inside leaf tunnels.

References

https://plantvillage.psu.edu/topics/cinnamon/infos
Ellis, B. W., Bradley, F. M., & Atthowe, H. (1996). The Organic gardener's handbook of natural insect and disease control: a complete problem-solving guide to keeping your garden & yard healthy without chemicals. Emmaus, Pa.: Rodale Press.

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Author

Sreten null
Hi! I’m Sreten Filipović. I graduated from the Faculty of Agriculture at the University of Belgrade, with a master's degree in Environmental Protection in Agricultural Systems. I’ve worked as a researcher at Finland's Natural Resources Institute (LUKE) on a project aimed at adapting south-western Finland to drought episodes. I founded a consulting agency in the field of environment and agriculture to help farmers who want to implement the principles of sustainability on their farms. I’m also a founding member of the nonprofit organization Ecogenesis from Belgrade whose main goal is non-formal education on the environment and ecology. In my spare time, I like to write blog posts about sustainability, the environment, animal farming, horticulture, and plant protection. I’ve also published several science-fiction short stories. You can find me on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/sreten-filipovi%C4%87-515aa5158/