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Honeylocust Defoliation (IN)

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From: Nature By Design Landscapes Melanie City: Vincennes, IN
We have several honeylocusts in our nursery that are experiencing early leaf drop, yellowing foliage, and branch dieback. We have had an extension officer with Purdue University visit, but he can not determine the cause. These trees did great until July, and then started declining. They are completely defoliated now. The extension officer saw no insects or environmental conditions that could explain this. Do you have any ideas?
	Extension Message From: Jay Hayek Extension Specialist, Forestry Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Sciences jhayek@illinois.edu
Without any additional information, here are a couple ideas worth mentioning: (a) soil texture, pH, and fertility, (b) drought/flooding, (c) excessive heat or leaf-dessicating winds, (d) herbicide drift from adjacent agricultural fields, (e) changes in soil hydrology such as tiling, adjacent construction, road building, etc, (f) improperly handled nursery stock. If you wish to rule out pathological causes, you may wish to submit samples to Purdue's plant clinic.
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