In this episode, we are joined by Dr. Kristy McAndrew from Mississippi State University. Dr. McAndrew will walk us through the ins and outs of Brown spot needle blight, a fungal disease that infects pine needles, leading to premature needle loss, stunted growth, and long-term stress that increases a tree's vulnerability to other pests and pathogens, and provide an update on Emerald Ash Borer presence in the region.

Dr. McAndrew is a forest health specialist at Mississippi State University in the Forestry Department. Kristy has a Bachelor of Science in Forestry and a Bachelor of Science in Fisheries & Wildlife, both from the University of Missouri in Columbia, MO, and also completed a Master's and PhD at Mississippi State University in the Department of Biochemistry, Molecular Biology, Entomology, and Plant Pathology.

For more on brown spot needle blight, see this recent article and publication from the Arkansas Division of Agriculture. www.uaex.uada.edu/media-resources/news/2025/august/08-18-2025-ark-UAM-needle-blight.aspx

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