Specific replant disease

Specific replant disease, also called sick soil syndrome, affects susceptible fruit and ornamental plants such as apples, pears, plums, cherries and roses when they are replanted into soil that previously grew a related species. Its exact cause is not settled, but it is attributed to a build-up of soil-dwelling fungi, bacteria, nematodes, viruses and other organisms that persist in decaying root material and heavily colonize the roots of new plantings, stunting shoot growth and leaving roots weak and blackened. The pathogenic burden in soil can persist for roughly fifteen years, making site management an important consideration for orchard replanting.