This article examines the persistence of the Ceratocystis fimbriata f. platani pathogen—the causal agent of canker stain of plane trees—in the stumps and root systems of felled trees. Despite more than 30 years of research and control efforts, the disease remains incurable, and prophylactic measures are the only effective way to limit its spread. Among these, eradication of infection centers—removing diseased trees and their immediate neighbors—is essential, although its effectiveness varies depending on implementation.
The study highlights the many remaining uncertainties regarding how the pathogen survives and spreads within infected trees, especially belowground in stumps and roots. Following earlier work on root contamination of neighboring trees, this research focuses on the infectious potential of residual wood material left in the soil, a factor that directly influences the success of eradication and determines the necessary waiting period before replanting plane trees.
