Scouting

Scouting for early detection is our most important activity for ALL hazelnut growers. Growers throughout the PNW must be as vigilant as growers in the Willamette Valley. It works! Scout your orchards at least twice a year. 

We recommend that you scout your orchard for EFB at least twice a year. Look for flagging (dying) branches in the summer and characteristic EFB cankers in the winter. Cankers can be found on any part of the tree but are more frequently found near the top. Scout intensively during the winter, particularly on clear days. A pruning tower (tree squirrel) and/or binoculars are very helpful to locate cankers. All orchards with susceptible trees are at risk and should be scouted.

There was a situation near Salem where a grower discovered two trees infected with EFB in a newly
planted hazelnut orchard. It was suspected that the trees were infected in the nursery before shipment. Early detection, quick scouting and tree removal on the part of many people helped eradicate EFB from that orchard.

Resistant cultivars planted near heavily infected orchards have developed EFB cankers. Initially, these cankers are characterized by longitudinal cracks, flat and/or slightly sunken areas on the trunks. Some cankers develop stromata which are smaller and less numerous than on susceptible cultivars. After a few growing seasons, cankers on resistant trees may have substantial callus formation indicating a strong wound healing response. Cankers may heal over completely (about a third) while others may only be recognized by superficial cracks, indentations or scar tissue. Unfortunately, a few cankers have developed that look like normal EFB cankers.