Fact sheet: Hazelnut disease – Tree decline and branch dieback

Fact sheet titled “Hazelnut disease – Tree decline and branch dieback,” presenting information on causes, symptoms, spread, and main features. Designed with blue and black text on a white background and featuring the AgriFutures Emerging Industries logo in the bottom right corner.
  • 2 pages

  • Published: 10 Sep 2026

  • Publication Code: 26-103

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Maintaining orchard health is critical to ensuring a productive and profitable Australian hazelnut industry. This fact sheet is part of a series developed to help growers identify, understand and manage key diseases that can impact hazelnut production. It provides practical information on symptoms, disease spread and management strategies to support informed decision-making in the orchard.

Tree decline and branch dieback is caused by several fungal pathogens, primarily Botryosphaeriaceae and Diaporthe species, with Cytospora species also linked to trunk cankers and tree decline. The disease can reduce tree vigour, limit nut production and contribute to long-term orchard decline if left unmanaged. This fact sheet outlines the key symptoms to look for, how infections spread through wounds, and the orchard hygiene and management practices that can help reduce disease impacts.

 

Related resources:

Fact sheet: Hazelnut disease – Kernel defects
Fact sheet: Hazelnut disease – Hazelnut mosaic