This topic is frequently discussed and occasionally even directly investigated by the dendrochronology community. You might want to search the archives of the International Tree Ring Database Forum for past discussions and references. The forum and its archives are linked to: <http://web.utk.edu/~grissino/forum.htm>.

I give the above reference to past discussions on the topic because there are definitely different points of view.

 

Here is my point of view as a pathologist and dendrochronologist that occasionally dissects trees with deep wound caused by increment borers:

 

1. How important is the information to be gained? Obviously, this is a judgment call. I discourage increment boring as a class project. It can provide information useful to forest research and management. For me, the choice is less about comparing the effects of increment boring to no injury and more about comparing the relative value of collecting increment cores versus stem disks.

 

2. Less injury results from coring healthy, vigorous trees than declining trees. Reduced injury results from better compartmentalization of infection and decay on the inside and more rapid closure of the wound.

 

3.  Do not treat the borer wound. Disinfection even if possible would last only a very brief time. Disinfecting agents (bleach, alcohol, etc.) will kill living wood, bark, and cambial cells near the wound. There is likely no value in plugging the hole with dowels, wax, etc. That can obstruct closure of the wound by the formation of new wood.

 

4. Use sharp tools, both to save your back and shoulders (or motorized power head) and to provide a cleanly cut wound.

 

5. Disinfection of the borer between trees is likely not necessary *except* with a small set of diseases such as, perhaps, fire blight. There are lots of differences of opinion here. My view is that inoculum of wood-inhabiting fungi is ubiquitous, particularly the insect-vectored sort, so host response is more important than pathogen exclusion.

 

6. Keep in mind that boring may release previously compartmentalized, well-develop decay infections in the core of the tree that can then be released by mechanically breaching that boundary with the borer.

 

I have a few citations associated with the above (and a picture of #6) in my article at http://nrs.fs.fed.us/pubs/9076.

 

Hope this helps!

 

Kevin

 

 

 

Greetings Forpathers-