• Oak wilt is a common disease of live, red and white oak trees.Jupiterimages/Photos.com/Getty Images
  
  Oaks, such as the live, red and white oak trees, are susceptible to certain diseases. Oak wilt and cotton root rot are common in oak trees. They are the result of a fungus attacking the root systems. There are treatments that help oak trees recover from diseases. Preventing further injury or new infection is key to the tree's survival.
  
  

Chemical Control

• Fungicides are often used to treat trees with certain diseases. According to the United States Department of Agriculture, treating oak trees with fungicide is most effective when applied before the tree has active symptoms of disease. Some diseases, such as oak wilt, are not affected by fungicides when symptoms have already appeared. Since fungicide applications are expensive, they are usually only used to treat high value oak trees. Another treatment is chemical root disruption. This is difficult and requires a professional to drill holes into the soil surrounding the oak tree and administer a chemical to kill the roots of the tree in a specific area. The USDA states that this treatment is an option in areas where plowing or trenching cannot be done because of utility cables or septic tanks. Chemical root disruption must be performed by a licensed pesticide applicator.
  
  

Prevention

• Prevention before serious disease occurs is recommended by the USDA. Plant trees that are considered resistant to oak wilt or cotton root rot. When pruning is necessary, avoid injuring the tree. Open wounds provide instant access for fungal diseases. Avoiding injury or wounds is especially important during favorable disease conditions. According to the USDA, conditions are favorable for disease in the North during spring and early summer and from February until June in Texas. Trees in the Great Lakes states are susceptible to disease from April until July and from April until late summer in the Southern portions of the United States.
  
  

Tree Removal

• Removal of severely infected live oak trees is often necessary. However, the USDA notes that removing infected oak trees that are still alive may increase the chance of spreading the infection to healthy oak trees. This is because live spores may move to healthy trees that are grafted to the diseased tree by their roots. Disrupting the root system should be performed with a trencher or vibratory plow before removing the diseased oak tree. Dead oak trees must be removed and treated to avoid the spread of fungal diseases. Treatments include chipping, splitting or drying wood from the infected tree, covering the wood with plastic and burying the edges of the plastic. The wood should remain untouched for 6 months then air-dried for six months to kill disease-causing fungus.