Soil solarization under the test conditions in CA appears to offer an effective means of eliminating P. ramorum from
at least the upper layers (top 15 cm) of the soil profile, where most
of the naturally occurring inoculum is located. Efforts are underway to
model the survival of P. ramorum in relation to soil temperature
and moisture. Additional research in 2013 is aimed at understanding
how to maximize the effectiveness of solarization in killing soilborne Phytophthora
species in CA, OR, and WA, and to determine how the presence of crushed
rock on the soil surface affects soil heating. Commercial nurseries in
CA, OR, and WA interested in participating in 2013 solarization trials
are encouraged to contact Jennifer.Parke@oregonstate.edu for further information.
Read more here - COMTF June 2013 newsletter.
Monday, June 10, 2013
Seattle Science Festival
Kids of all ages learned about P. ramorum and other invasive species at the Seattle Science Festival on June 8.
Here are some photos from the event.
Thanks to the Sentinel Plant Network for providing information. Check out their Plant Heroes website here.
Here are some photos from the event.
Thanks to the Sentinel Plant Network for providing information. Check out their Plant Heroes website here.
Citizen Science helps track SOD in California
Citizen Scientists Key to Halting Sudden Oak Death (Op-Ed)
"After spending over 50 percent of my time since 2006 working with volunteers on large projects, it is my opinion that in a funding-limited world, one of the best ways to move basic science
forward is to work closely with the invaluable resource volunteers
provide. We should not only employ them to report or count organisms,
but also treat them as peers and build strong cooperative efforts in
which tasks are properly shared between professional and volunteer
researchers."Read the article here:
http://www.livescience.com/37207-sudden-oak-death.html
New website
The WA SOD website has moved to a new server and we will be working on updates to the site now. If you see any pages with broken links or other problems, please let us know. Email melliott2@wsu.edu.
Tuesday, February 26, 2013
New biosecurity posters
Learn how to keep exotic pest invaders, such as P. ramorum, out of our forests, nurseries, and landscapes. Biosecurity posters now available from Food and Environment Research Agency (FERA), UK. at this link.
Thursday, February 7, 2013
Changes in federal P. ramorum regulations
As of 12/10/12, the USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service
(APHIS) amended the federal order (FO) regarding advance notification
for interstate shipments of P. ramorum high-risk host nursery stock. Interstate shipments of Camellia, Kalmia, Pieris, Rhododendron (including Azalea), and Viburnum nursery
stock from all 14 quarantine California counties and Curry County, OR
must continue to provide written notification to non-regulated states.
However, only previously (since 2010) or newly positive nurseries in
the regulated areas of California, Oregon, and Washington shipping any
species of Camellia, Kalmia, Pieris, Rhododendron (including Azalea), and Viburnum to
non-regulated states are now required to pre-notify. Nurseries located
in the regulated areas with no positive detections for the last 3
consecutive years are no longer required to pre-notify. In the future,
if P. ramorum is detected at a nursery in the regulated area,
it will also be required to provide pre-notifications. The above
revision to the FO removed the pre-notification requirement for hundreds
of nurseries that have never been positive for P. ramorum.
APHIS and the state regulatory agencies in CA, OR, and WA jointly reviewed the history of nurseries in the regulated areas and determined which ones are affected by the FO. Nurseries that need to comply have been notified. Affected nurseries must comply with the requirement while under the Confirmed Nursery Protocol and for two years after release. Advance notifications serve as an additional source of information for states receiving high-risk P. ramorum host nursery stock and at the same time minimize burden on the regulatory agencies and the nursery industry. Any newly positive nursery is required to provide the state and APHIS with trace information.
To access the FO and guidance document, go to http://www.aphis.usda.gov/plant_health/plant_pest_info/pram/index.shtml. For more information, contact Prakash Hebbar at (301) 851-2228 or prakash.hebbar@aphis.usda.gov or Stacy Scott at (970) 494-7577 or stacy.e.scott@aphis.usda.gov.
From the February COMTF newsletter.
APHIS and the state regulatory agencies in CA, OR, and WA jointly reviewed the history of nurseries in the regulated areas and determined which ones are affected by the FO. Nurseries that need to comply have been notified. Affected nurseries must comply with the requirement while under the Confirmed Nursery Protocol and for two years after release. Advance notifications serve as an additional source of information for states receiving high-risk P. ramorum host nursery stock and at the same time minimize burden on the regulatory agencies and the nursery industry. Any newly positive nursery is required to provide the state and APHIS with trace information.
To access the FO and guidance document, go to http://www.aphis.usda.gov/plant_health/plant_pest_info/pram/index.shtml. For more information, contact Prakash Hebbar at (301) 851-2228 or prakash.hebbar@aphis.usda.gov or Stacy Scott at (970) 494-7577 or stacy.e.scott@aphis.usda.gov.
From the February COMTF newsletter.
Stream monitoring updates
Three new positive waterways were identified in Georgia, Texas, and Washington in 2012 as a result of the National P. ramorum
Early Detection Survey of Forests, bringing the total number of known
positive sites outside of the established disease range in CA and OR to
15. Seventeen states participated in the program, for a
total of 114 stream baiting locations in all. Of the 12 previously
positive sites in AL, FL, GA, MS, NC, and WA, 11 were surveyed in 2012
and continue to be positive, reinforcing the trend of annual repeat
detections once a site is initially confirmed.
The newly identified Texas stream was baited in response to positive soil findings at an associated nursery in the summer of 2012; however, no P. ramorum-positive plants were identified. The last time the nursery had confirmed positive plants was in 2004 as a result of the nationwide P. ramorum-positive Camellia shipment. Water baiting in the stream outside of that nursery was also conducted in 2010 and found negative.
Washington’s 2012 P. ramorum early detection survey of forests resulted in four positive water confirmations. One of the sites was a new P. ramorum-positive location: a watershed sub-basin adjoining the Sammamish River, King County (which has been P. ramorum positive since 2007). Three other locations were repeat positives for P. ramorum: one in a stream that feeds into the Sammamish River, one in the Sammamish River, and one in a Lewis County stream in a forested area. None of the finds were in association with streamside plant infections. In total, there were 12 baiting traps in 11 western Washington streams in 2012. All baited streams were associated with nurseries previously identified with P. ramorum-positive plant stock.
The 2011 survey of water baiting methods (comparing in vitro baiting, Bottle O’Bait, and in situ baiting, bags) was expanded in 2012 and yielded consistent results with those obtained in 2011. Sampling occurred at 25 positive sites in 6 states. The pathogen was recovered by one or both assays in 139 comparable cases. In vitro baiting was the more effective method overall (55 percent of recoveries); however, after analysis with 2011 data, it was clear the advantage was seasonally based, with spring being optimal. The rate of P. ramorum recovery overall was lower in the fall, at which time in situ baiting was a more reliable method. The pathogen was recovered by in vitro assay at nine sites over the two survey years when in situ baiting failed. Without in vitro baiting, these sites would have been classified P. ramorum negative. However, there was one site in 2012 where in situ succeeded and BOB failed. Based on survey results, 2013 National P. ramorum Early Detection Survey of Forests cooperators will have the option of using either assay. Unfortunately, due to budget shortfalls, it is anticipated that the 2013 program will be greatly reduced.
From the February COMTF newsletter.
The newly identified Texas stream was baited in response to positive soil findings at an associated nursery in the summer of 2012; however, no P. ramorum-positive plants were identified. The last time the nursery had confirmed positive plants was in 2004 as a result of the nationwide P. ramorum-positive Camellia shipment. Water baiting in the stream outside of that nursery was also conducted in 2010 and found negative.
Washington’s 2012 P. ramorum early detection survey of forests resulted in four positive water confirmations. One of the sites was a new P. ramorum-positive location: a watershed sub-basin adjoining the Sammamish River, King County (which has been P. ramorum positive since 2007). Three other locations were repeat positives for P. ramorum: one in a stream that feeds into the Sammamish River, one in the Sammamish River, and one in a Lewis County stream in a forested area. None of the finds were in association with streamside plant infections. In total, there were 12 baiting traps in 11 western Washington streams in 2012. All baited streams were associated with nurseries previously identified with P. ramorum-positive plant stock.
The 2011 survey of water baiting methods (comparing in vitro baiting, Bottle O’Bait, and in situ baiting, bags) was expanded in 2012 and yielded consistent results with those obtained in 2011. Sampling occurred at 25 positive sites in 6 states. The pathogen was recovered by one or both assays in 139 comparable cases. In vitro baiting was the more effective method overall (55 percent of recoveries); however, after analysis with 2011 data, it was clear the advantage was seasonally based, with spring being optimal. The rate of P. ramorum recovery overall was lower in the fall, at which time in situ baiting was a more reliable method. The pathogen was recovered by in vitro assay at nine sites over the two survey years when in situ baiting failed. Without in vitro baiting, these sites would have been classified P. ramorum negative. However, there was one site in 2012 where in situ succeeded and BOB failed. Based on survey results, 2013 National P. ramorum Early Detection Survey of Forests cooperators will have the option of using either assay. Unfortunately, due to budget shortfalls, it is anticipated that the 2013 program will be greatly reduced.
From the February COMTF newsletter.
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