Pyrrhalta luteola (elm leaf beetle).

The elm leaf beetle P. luteola is a serious pest of ornamental elms in most areas where they are grown. This insect is native to southern Europe and was introduced to the USA in the 1800s, but has also reached Central Asia, the Middle East, North Africa and South America and was recently detected in Australia. It feeds on all species of native and introduced elms, including American (Ulmus americana), English (U. procera), Chinese (U. parvifolia) and Siberian elm (U. pumila). Wu et al. (1991) identified elm leaf beetle as the second most important urban tree pest in the western United States and third most important nationally.

Preliminary assessments of shoot cold tolerance for American elm bred for enhanced tolerance to Dutch elm disease

Although Dutch elm disease (DED) is the primary threat to American elm (Ulmus americana L.), we hypothesized that shoot freezing injury may also limit tree productivity and survival in the north. We assessed shoot cold tolerance and field winter injury of American elm bred for DED tolerance planted in Lemington, VT. We tested for differences in cold tolerance associated with date, maternal DED tolerance source, paternal sources from plant hardiness zones 5a, 6a and 6b (determined using data from 1996-2005), and the interactions of these. Cold tolerance was greatest in the winter, followed by fall and then spring. For all dates, cold tolerance never differed between maternal DED tolerance sources. However, in mid-winter, paternal sources from zone 5a (coldest zone) were significantly more cold tolerant than sources from zone 6b (warmest zone), and sources from zone 6a were intermediate. Field freezing injury confirmed that shoots were only marginally cold tolerant relative to ambient temperature lows.

Biochar effects on germination and radicle extension in temperate tree seedlings under field conditions

Pyrolyzed organic matter, or biochar, generally increases the growth of established plants; in some cases, biochar also promotes seed germination in agricultural species, but comparable effects on tree species have received little attention. Potential biochar effects on seed germination and early seedling development were examined in a field experiment involving 14 species of temperate forest trees. Replicated sets of seeds with and without biochar (at 5 t·ha–1) were placed in mesh bags beneath leaf litter near the time of autumnal leaf fall and retrieved the following spring. Pooled analyses show a positive but small average effect of biochar on germination. Effects on seedling radicle extension growth were more pronounced, with more than a doubling in growth observed overall and large increases observed in some species, including both conifers (e.g., Picea mariana (Mill.) Britton, Sterns & Poggenb. and Pinus resinosa Sol. ex Aiton) and angiosperms (Betula papyrifera Marsh., Prunus virginiana L., and Ulmus americana L.). Species varied in responses, but differences were not related to fire or shade tolerance. The results indicate that biochar can substantially enhance early seedling development in temperate trees; likely mechanisms involve “priming” effects resulting from increased pH and potassium availability or sorption of germination-inhibiting phenolics in the litter layer.