Phytophthora ramorumÂ*- from the Florida Department of Agriculture

The following is the textÂ*of a communication to individual businesses in
Florida by the Florida Department of Agriculture & Consumer Services: Â* On Friday,
March 12, 2004, our Department received notification that Phytophthora
ramorum, the causative organism in the disease called sudden oak death (SOD) was
confirmed at Monrovia Growers, Azusa, California.Â* California Department of Food
and Agriculture’s plant pathology laboratory confirmed P. ramorum on six
varieties of Camellia.Â* A detection ofÂ*Â* P. ramorum has also been confirmed from
Specialty Plants, Inc. in San Marcos, California. In addition, presumptive
positives have also been found at 11 other nurseries in Southern California (in Los
Angeles and Orange counties). The causal pathogen, Phyytophthora ramorum, of
Sudden Oak Death presents a real and ongoing threat to the agricultural
industry, environment and economy of the State of Florida.Â* Movement of nursery
stock is a recognized channel for the spread of SOD from established areas to new
locations. In addition to Camellia, the following plants are currently known
to be hosts for SOD: Scientific Name
Common Name

Acer macrophyllum
Aesculus californica
Arbutus menziesii
Arctostaphylos manzanita
Camellia japonica
Camellia sasanqua
Hamamelis virginiana
Heteromeles arbutifolia
Lithocarpus densiflorus
Lonicera hispidula
Pieris formosa
Pieris formosa x japonica
Pieris floribunda x japonica
Pieris japonica
Pseudotsuga menziesii var. menziesii
Quercus agrifolia
Quercus chrysolepis
Quercus kelloggii
Quercus parvula v. shrevei
Rhamnus californica
Rhododendron spp.
Sequoia sempervirens
Trientalis latifolia
Umbellularia californica
Vaccinium ovatum
Viburnum x bodnantense
Viburnum plicatum var. tomentosum
Viburnum tinus

Bigleaf maple
California buckeye
Madrone
Manzanita
Japanese camellia
Sasanqua camellia
Witch hazel
Toyon
Tanoak
California honeysuckle
Himalaya pieris
Pieris ‘Forest Flame’
Pieris ‘Brouwer’s Beauty’
Japanese pieris
Douglas-fir
Coast live oak
Canyon live oak
California black oak
Shreve oak
California coffeeberry
Rhododendron & azalea
Coast redwoodÂ*
Western starflower
California bay laurel, pepperwood, Oregon myrtle
Evergreen huckleberry
Bodnant viburnum
Doublefile viburnum
Laurustinus

However, it is important to understand that the host list is not static and
additional plants are continually being confirmed as new hosts. In response to
this agricultural threat, the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer
Services requested from the California Department of Food and Agriculture, the
names and locations of the 11 suspect nurseries.Â* This request was made in an
effort for our department to properly assess the risks associated with
shipments of plants that may have been shipped to Florida nurseries and retail garden
centers from these 11 suspect California nurseries. This request was denied.
Since this request for information was not forthcoming, our department was
left with no other option but to refuse the entry of all California ornamental
nursery stock into Florida.Â* Based on this immediate threat, our inspectors have
identified locations that have received shipments of nursery stock from
Monrovia Growers and have issued stop sale and hold orders on this plant material
that has been segregated. Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer
Services, Division of Plant Industry (FDACS, DPI) inspectors have been trained on
SOD and have been actively looking for this disease in Florida nurseries for the
past two years.Â* Samples submitted from this proactive survey activity were
diagnosed as negative for SOD.Â* Inspectors are conducting thorough inspections
of the nursery stock received from Monrovia Growers and have submitted many
samples to our Plant Pathology Laboratory Facility located in Gainesville,
Florida.Â* Subsequent testing of some samples from the Monrovia nursery stock
revealed the presence of a foliar Phytophthora, on the Monrovia plants.Â* In order to
definitely determine if the pathogen is Phytophthora ramorum, additional
molecular diagnostics are being conducted by laboratory personnel.Â* It is
anticipated that final testing will be completed within the next 7-10 days. In the
meantime, all Monrovia nursery stock in the state will remain under stop sale and
hold order. The Department will continue its efforts to obtain complete facts
concerning SOD so that we can carefully monitor and adjust regulatory
measures involving California nursery stock.Â* Please contact our toll-free helpline
at 1-888-397-1517 if you have received any suspect plants from California and
have not been contacted by a FDACS, DPI representative.Â* Also, please call if
you notice SOD symptoms in your nursery or if you have any additional
questions. Â*Symptoms on the foliage look can look like leaf spots and blotches, leaf
scorch or sunburn.Â* The lesions are brown with a bull’s-eye effect with dark
brown edges and lighter centers.Â* The margins of the lesions are diffuse or
fuzzy.Â* In older infections, the leaf lesions can progress down the leaf petiole
into the stems causing leaf-drop, stem lesions, and dieback.Â* To view pictures
of the symptoms, please visit the Departments website at:
http://www.doacs.state.fl.us/pi/enpp...kdeath.html.Â* As new information is obtained from the
California Department of Food and Agriculture and the USDA, we will keep you
informed via correspondence and by posting information on the Department’s
website:Â*Â* www.doacs.state.fl.us/ .Â* As always, our goal is to protect Florida’s
plant resources with the least possible impact to our nurseries and associated
industries.





Billy on the Florida Space Coast
BSF Annual Convention May 28 - 31, 2004 Radisson Hotel, Cape Canaveral,
Florida
Sponsored by The Bonsai Society of Brevard and the Treasure Coast Bonsai
Society
http://www.bonsaisocietyofbrevard.org/2004/2004.html
































************************************************** ******************************
++++Sponsored, in part, by John Quinn++++
************************************************** ******************************
-- The IBC HOME PAGE & FAQ: http://www.internetbonsaiclub.org/ --
+++++ Questions? Help? e-mail +++++