Monday, May 23, 2011

Oregon nurseries stave off SOD pathogen despite wet weather

Detections down despite cooler, wetter spring weather

By MATEUSZ PERKOWSKI

Capital Press

Damp and cool conditions are typically conducive to sudden oak death, but Oregon nurseries haven't seen a surge in the fungal-like pathogen despite the dreary weather this spring.

The disease has been detected at three Oregon nurseries so far in 2011, which is the same number as at this point last year, according to the Oregon Department of Agriculture.

During the entire 2010 season, the ODA's testing program found phytophthora ramorum, which causes the disease, at nine nurseries. That's roughly half as many detections as during the peak years of 2004 and 2005.

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