Which disease emerges from the bark of branches and twigs, causing large distortions in growth and a ragged crown, and is managed by planning early harvests of younger plants?

• A. Dwarf mistletoe
• B. Armillaria
• C. Laminated root rot
• D. Black stain root disease

Answer: (A)

Dwarf mistletoe is a parasitic plant that lives on the branches of conifers, sending haustoria into the host and producing visible growth on the bark. The symptoms described—emerging from the bark of branches and twigs, large distortions in growth, and a ragged crown—are classic signs of mistletoe infection, often seen as witches’ broom formations that deform the tree’s shape and reduce vigor. Management focuses on cutting and removing infected material to reduce the parasite’s presence and spread; planning early harvests of younger stands is a practical approach because it lowers the reservoir of infected hosts and helps maintain stand health, slowing or preventing further infestation. The other diseases listed affect roots or the wood more broadly and don’t produce the branch-and-crown distortions described here, so they don’t fit as well with the symptoms and management described.