Needle Blight and Cast of Conifers is a leaf spot disease of conifers that leads to premature shedding of needles. During certain times of the year, distinct yellow to brown lesions are visible on pine needles. Infected needles turn brown and shed. Fungi that cause needle cast are generally weak pathogens that infect older needles in the interior of the tree's canopy. Black fruiting bodies of various fungi may be observed in single or multiple rows along the length of infected needles.

Conifers infected with needle cast have brown needles and thin canopies. The most common tip blight diseases of juniper include phomopsis blight which attacks new flushes of growth in late spring or early summer. Kabatina blight of juniper attacks juniper injured from snow or ice in late winter through early spring. Tip blights rarely kill more than four inches or the terminal of juniper shoots.

Use disease resistant cultivars for crabapple, crape myrtle, dogwood, lilac, rose, and zinnia.

For chemical control recommendations, consult the Insect and Plant Disease Control Manual, UT Extension Publication 1690, found here. Please contact your local Extension office for specific pesticide recommendations.