The needles on the lower branches turn brown in the spring. Prune out all the infected branches before the spring rains. Disinfect pruning tools between cuts. Maintain tree health by mulch, irrigation, and fertilizing. Primarily Austrian and ponderosa pine.
Needles have yellow and tan spots with green to brown water-soaked bands.
The base of the needles remain green. Needles usually drop by October. There is no effective chemical control. Remove heavily infested trees. Cercospora blight symptoms occur in early summer with the oldest needles on the lower branch turning yellow and dropping.