What killed my Antonovka?

I finally decided to take my dead Antonovka on G16 planted this spring out of the soil.

This is what I found:

That black collar was located at the very top level of soil (or may be even above), on rootstock. It looks depressed into the wood. Original roots also look rotten, though there were 3-4 small hair-type white roots less then an inch long.

I have couple questions about it:

  1. What is it?
  2. Was it invisible on the plant I got, or it is a problem in my soil ?
  3. Can I use the same spot for another apple tree next year as is, or I need to remove soil out of the hole, if yes, how deep? If it is infection I bet all the rain we had washed it down pretty deep.

Thanks!

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@scottfsmith just mentioned on another thread that G 16 rootstock is horrible. That could be why your tree was killed. That mark looked like fire blight damage to me.

Let’s see what others say.

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Looks like a canker or some type of rot. From the picture that black spot was in your mulch layer or deeper correct?

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Yes, either in the mulch or bellow soil. I didn’t dig around the root, just pulled it up, so not sure exactly.

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Collar Rot or Crown Rot, perhaps. I would not plant another tree in the same hole, or near it.

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That what I was afraid of… What would I do now - there is no another spot in my yard… it is a last one… :cold_sweat:

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It looks to me like death by G16… That rootstock is incredibly sensitive to viruses. I lost another one a month ago, I forgot the stock was G16 when I topworked it:

I have 6 G16s left out of several dozen I started with.

I wouldn’t worry about replanting in the same spot, I’m pretty sure its a G16 virus issue. My trunks looked similar. I have seen it many times and know it well unfortunately.

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Does it mean the soil is infected or not? I really need that spot, I may take soil out, like 2-3’ deep and fill with something else if it will help.

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I added to my post above – no I wouldn’t worry I would just re-plant without doing anything to the soil.

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I love this answer!!! Thanks! No G16 anymore!

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my lodi i pulled last week had a spot like that at the soil line. almost girdled the trunk but stopped halfway after a season. had other sunkened spots thats showed up all over the trunk. i thought it to was fireblight but tips of new growth weren’t affected. i rocked the tree and was easy to pull by hand,. all the roots had rotted off! would have died soon anyway.

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