Genetic detective work has located the source of a devastating fungus that causes cypress canker disease, which has been killing trees on six of the world’s seven continents for decades. The pathogen, Seiridium cardinale, was first identified in California’s San Joaquin Valley in 1928 and has since made its way to Europe, Asia, New Zealand, Australia, South America, and Africa. In many regions, the pathogen has infected and killed up to 95 percent of native trees in the cypress family, including junipers and some cedars.
