Extra care to fertilize and irrigate may prolong the life of an infected tree, but trees with extensive leaf scorch and dieback should be removed. Currently, there are no antibiotics or bactericides commercially available to treat bacterial leaf scorch. The symptoms are circular, dark to reddish brown leaf spots with a diameter of to inch. Spots may run together to form irregular blotches. Tiny black specks in rings are visible in the spots and blotches.
Severe infections cause the trees to loose their leaves prematurely.
Trees of low vigor, that are repeatedly defoliated, may die. Small trees defoliated several years in a row may need spraying. Apply Bordeaux mix or another copper fungicide, mancozeb or thiophanate-methyl according to the instructions on the labels. Complete coverage is necessary for control. The symptoms consist of a white, powdery growth on both leaf surfaces.