Phytophthora ramorum: A recent discovery with a large impact

Phytophthora ramorum first came to attention of the plant pathology community as the causal agent of sudden oak death (SOD). Since 1994, potentially millions of tanoak (Lithocarpus densiflorus) and oak (Quercus spp.) have been killed by this pathogen in coastal forest of California and Oregon. P. ra...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Phytopathology 2008-06, Vol.98 (6), p.S197-S197
Main Author: Rizzo, D M
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Lithocarpus densiflorus
Phytophthora
Quercus
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Summary:Phytophthora ramorum first came to attention of the plant pathology community as the causal agent of sudden oak death (SOD). Since 1994, potentially millions of tanoak (Lithocarpus densiflorus) and oak (Quercus spp.) have been killed by this pathogen in coastal forest of California and Oregon. P. ramorum is a generalist and has a host range of well over 100 species ranging from ferns to conifers to herbaceous plants and shrubs. On these hosts, P. ramorum causes a variety of foliar and branch symptoms. Since its association with SOD in 2000, much research has been conducted on the biology, genetics (including the sequencing of its genome), epidemiology, host-pathogen interactions and ecological impacts of P. ramorum. This talk will put P. ramorum research and management into historical context though examination of past research on other forest Phytophthoras and subsequent impacts of P. ramorum research on other Phytophthoras. Research on P. cinnamomi, P. lateralis and European Oak decline set the stage for early research on P. ramorum and set the stage for many discoveries concerning SOD. The potential importance of the nursery trade for long distance movement of P. ramorum has led to the implementation of national and international regulations and quarantines. This in turn resulted in numerous surveys and monitoring programs for the presence of P. ramorum. In the course of these surveys, many new Phytophthoras have been discovered in natural ecosystems and nursery settings.
ISSN:0031-949X