Pine needle blight a growing problem for Mississippi, experts say

PINE BELT, Miss. (WDAM) – Pine needle blight is becoming more prevalent, not only in the Pine Belt, but across the greater Southeastern United States.

Experts believe the blight is a type of pathogen that affects multiple types of pine trees.

The blight came to light after its increasing presence, and entomologists said that this could pose a problem for trees, both big and small.

Dr. John Riggins, Mississippi State University Forest Entomology professor, and other researchers have said the needle blight is a developing problem.

“Historically, it was only a problem in the seedling stages of Longleaf Pine,” Riggins said. “And now the reason it’s becoming a new issue as an emerging threat is because we’re seeing it impact Loblolly Pine, including mature Loblolly Pine, which is the primary tree that we grow right here in Mississippi.”

Pine needle blight can be spotted when brown patches make a tree or group of trees appear unhealthy, but that does not mean necessarily that the tree is dead. Experts say that this brown leaf period can happen during the springtime months around March or April.

The blight is believed to be affecting pine species in nearby states like Louisiana, Alabama, and Arkansas. Pine trees will typically become green again after a few weeks, but it is not guaranteed.

“It appears that, for the most part, most of the impacted trees are going to recover to some degree within a few weeks,” Riggins said. “But that repeated defoliation, year after year, is a repeated stress on the impacted trees.

“Eventually, it does affect tree health and you start to see additional mortality.”

Experts say that arborists, the Mississippi Forestry Commission and local Mississippi State University extension offices all offer good resources to better understand how the pine needle blight is affecting the region.

Want more WDAM 7 news in your inbox? Click here to subscribe to our newsletter.

Copyright 2024 WDAM. All rights reserved.