About This Reference

The Dutch Elm Disease Information Center is an evidence-based reference covering the identification, biology, treatment, and history of Dutch Elm Disease (DED). It is intended for property owners, arborists, foresters, plant pathologists, students, and others working with elm trees affected by Ophiostoma fungi.

Scope

The reference covers:

Identification and diagnosis — symptoms, vascular signs, beetle activity, and differential diagnosis from lookalike conditions

Disease biology — the Ophiostoma pathogens, elm bark beetle vectors, and root-graft transmission

Treatment and management — fungicide injection, sanitation, vector control, and decision frameworks

Resistant elm species and cultivars — North American hybrids, Asian species, and commercial cultivar profiles

History and geography — the introduction of DED, its global spread, and ongoing range shifts

Research and ongoing work — breeding programs, biological control, and emerging technologies

Editorial standards

Content is written to encyclopedic standards modeled on Wikipedia editorship:

Claims are factual rather than promotional, qualified where appropriate, and attributed to peer-reviewed publications, government agencies, university extension services, or professional societies where possible

References are listed at the bottom of each page

Pages are dated; the publication date and last revision are noted in each article's metadata

Quantitative claims (timing, dosages, costs, geographic extent) are stated with sources or marked as approximate

Sources commonly cited

The reference draws on:

USDA Forest Service publications, including the technical bulletin How to Identify and Manage Dutch Elm Disease (NA-PR-07-98)

Peer-reviewed journals including Phytopathology, Plant Disease, Annual Review of Phytopathology, Journal of Arboriculture, and Forest Pathology

Diseases of Trees and Shrubs (Sinclair & Lyon, 2nd ed., Cornell University Press, 2005)

Compendium of Elm Diseases (Stipes & Campana, American Phytopathological Society, 1981)

University extension publications from the University of Minnesota, the Morton Arboretum, Cornell University, and others

International research from Forest Research (UK), Wageningen University (Netherlands), and Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada

Limitations and disclaimers

This reference is provided for educational purposes. Diagnosis and treatment decisions for individual trees should involve a certified arborist, a state or county extension service, or a plant pathologist familiar with local conditions and regulations.

The reference is not affiliated with any commercial tree-care company, chemical manufacturer, or nursery. Cultivar profiles and product descriptions are intended to be neutral and comparative.

For suspected DED cases requiring professional attention, see Who Should I Contact if I See Dutch Elm Disease?.

Update cadence

Pages are reviewed periodically. The most recent revision date for each article appears in the article's metadata block. Substantial revisions are reflected in the lastModified date; minor copyediting may not be.