CATS Arborist Albuquerque Tree Health & Disease Management 3

Question 1

Which symptom most strongly indicates Verticillium wilt infection in a landscape tree?

Accepted Answer

Sudden wilting of one branch or side of the tree with green wood staining

Answer

Verticillium wilt causes sudden, one-sided wilting and produces characteristic olive-green to brown streaking in the sapwood when branches are cross-sectioned.

Question 2

What is the most effective long-term management strategy for a tree with Cytospora canker?

Accepted Answer

Prune infected branches to healthy tissue, improve tree vigor, and avoid wounds

Answer

Cytospora canker management focuses on pruning infected wood back to healthy tissue, improving tree vigor through proper irrigation and fertilization, and preventing mechanical wounds that serve as entry points.

Question 3

Which assessment tool does an arborist use to detect internal wood decay without damaging the tree?

Accepted Answer

Resistograph or sonic tomography

Answer

A resistograph measures drilling resistance through wood to detect decay pockets, while sonic tomography uses sound wave propagation to map internal cavities without invasive sampling.

Question 4

Fire blight is a bacterial disease that primarily affects which tree families common in Albuquerque landscapes?

Accepted Answer

Rosaceae (apples, pears, flowering crabapples)

Answer

Fire blight, caused by Erwinia amylovora, almost exclusively infects members of the Rosaceae family, including apple, pear, crabapple, and hawthorn.

Question 5

What does a low trunk flare with buried root collar indicate to an arborist assessing tree health?

Accepted Answer

Improper planting depth or soil buildup that can cause crown and root decay

Answer

A buried root collar creates persistent moisture against the bark, promoting fungal decay, Phytophthora infection, and girdling root formation, all of which seriously threaten tree longevity.

(CATS) Certified Arborist Tree Service of Albuquerque Practice Test

(CATS) Certified Arborist Tree Service of Albuquerque Practice Test

CATS Arborist Albuquerque Tree Health & Disease Management 3