Shaggy bracket

Inonotus hispidus, commonly known as the Shaggy bracket, belongs to the Kingdom Fungi, Phylum Basidiomycota, and Family Hymenochaetaceae. It is a significant phytopathogen that causes heart rot and sap rot in various broad-leaved trees. As a parasitic fungus, it penetrates the host's vascular system, causing structural decay that often leads to tree failure.

The fungus primarily targets deciduous species such as apple, walnut, ash, oak, and sycamore trees. The infection leads to the degradation of cellulose and lignin within the trunk and branches, effectively starving the tree of essential nutrients and moisture. The presence of large, yellowish-brown, hairy-surfaced fruiting bodies on the trunk is the most visible sign of an advanced infection.

The biology of Inonotus hispidus is centered on its ability to colonize wood through wounds. Spores enter the tree via pruning cuts, frost cracks, or sunscald. Once inside, the mycelium spreads throughout the heartwood, weakening the core of the tree over several years. During late summer and autumn, it produces large, annual sporophores that release millions of spores to infect neighboring trees.

Development and spread are favored by moderate to high moisture levels and warm temperatures. The fungus thrives in neglected orchards or urban settings where physical damage to trees is not treated correctly. Because the decay happens inside the tree, the external symptoms are often masked until the structural integrity of the host has been severely compromised, posing a hazard in populated areas.

Integrated management and control practices include:

• Conducting regular sanitation pruning to remove infected branches while trees are dormant.
• Sterilizing all pruning equipment with alcohol or bleach between individual trees to prevent cross-contamination.
• Applying protective wound sealants or fungicidal pastes to all major cuts and bark damage.
• Monitoring for early signs of fungal brackets and removing them to reduce spore load in the environment.
• Felling and disposing of heavily infected trees to minimize the risk of windthrow and further infection spread.