Why We Do Not Use Fungicides
Disease Management Should Not Begin With Destroying Beneficial Biology
Eric Putnam BCMA Inc. does not apply fungicides under any circumstances because of their detrimental effects on trees and the surrounding soil ecosystem. A fungicide does not selectively identify and eliminate only the disease-causing organism. It can damage the beneficial fungal community as well, and beneficial fungi may be more susceptible than an established pathogen. The result can be the destruction of much of the beneficial fungal population while portions of the disease-causing organism remain alive within the tree or soil.
In simple terms: A fungicide may eliminate many of the beneficial organisms that help protect the tree without completely eliminating the pathogen responsible for the disease.
What Can Be Affected by Fungicides?
Beneficial Fungi
Beneficial fungi help cycle nutrients, improve soil structure, support root function, and compete with organisms associated with disease and decay.
Mycorrhizal Fungi
Mycorrhizal fungi form important relationships with the tree’s fine absorbing roots. They increase the tree’s effective absorbing area and improve access to water and mineral nutrients.
The Soil Food Web
The soil food web contains fungi, bacteria, and other organisms that interact with one another. Disrupting one part of this community can affect the entire biological system surrounding the tree’s roots.
Natural Biological Competition
Beneficial organisms occupy space and consume resources that might otherwise be available to pathogens. Reducing these organisms can remove an important form of natural disease suppression.
How Fungicides Can Disrupt the Biological System
Fungicide is introduced into the environment
The fungicide comes into contact with organisms within the tree, root zone, soil, or treated surface.
Susceptible fungi are affected
The treatment may damage beneficial fungal populations along with the organism associated with the disease.
Portions of the pathogen may survive
An established pathogen may not be completely eliminated, particularly when portions of it are protected within woody tissue, roots, or soil.
Biological competition is reduced
Once beneficial organisms have been eliminated or significantly reduced, the surviving pathogen may have more space, resources, and opportunities to spread.
Preserving the Tree’s Natural Biological Balance
The concept is similar to products that advertise that they kill 99.9 percent of microorganisms, such as hand sanitizer. The small fraction that survives may include the organisms most capable of tolerating the treatment.
Repeatedly eliminating susceptible and beneficial organisms can leave behind populations that are more difficult to suppress.
Once beneficial organisms have been reduced, the remaining pathogen faces less competition and fewer natural biological controls. This may allow the disease to spread more aggressively over time.
For this reason, attempting to simply “kill the fungus” is not our treatment objective. Completely sterilizing living woody tissue or biologically active soil is not a realistic or healthy approach.
Supporting the Tree’s Natural Defense System
Our objective is to rebuild beneficial biology, improve soil aeration, reduce environmental conditions that favor disease development, and support the tree’s natural defense systems.
Beneficial organisms compete with disease-causing organisms for available space and resources. Supporting these beneficial populations helps restore biological competition within the tree’s growing environment.
Treatment cannot restore tissue that has already died, and it cannot guarantee that a fungal or fungal-like pathogen will completely disappear. The objective is to suppress further development, support recovery, improve overall tree vigor, and reduce the conditions that allow disease to spread.
Questions About a Recommended Treatment?
If Eric Putnam BCMA Inc. has recommended treatment for a tree affected by disease, contact our team with any questions about the recommendation, the treatment objective, or why fungicides are not included.
To understand how we support beneficial soil biology, visit our How Tree Biostimulants Work page.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Eric Putnam BCMA Inc. apply fungicides?
No. We do not apply fungicides under any circumstances because of their detrimental effects on trees and the surrounding soil ecosystem.
Do fungicides kill only the disease-causing organism?
No. A fungicide does not selectively identify and eliminate only the disease-causing organism. It may also damage beneficial fungi that support soil structure, nutrient cycling, root function, and natural disease suppression.
Why are beneficial fungi important?
Beneficial fungi help cycle nutrients, improve soil structure, support root function, and compete with disease-causing organisms for available space and resources.
Can the disease-causing organism survive fungicide treatment?
Yes. Portions of an established pathogen may survive within the tree or soil, even when much of the beneficial fungal population has been damaged or eliminated.
Can reducing beneficial fungi allow disease to spread?
Once beneficial organisms have been reduced, a surviving pathogen may face less competition and fewer natural biological controls. This can create conditions that allow the disease to spread more aggressively.
What is the treatment objective if fungicides are not used?
The objective is to rebuild beneficial biology, improve soil aeration, reduce conditions that favor disease development, support tree vigor, and restore natural biological competition around the tree.
Will treatment restore tissue that has already died?
No. Treatment cannot restore dead tissue or guarantee that a pathogen will completely disappear. The objective is to suppress further development, support recovery, and reduce the environmental conditions that allow disease to spread.
