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Selected Works of Wolfgang Schweigkofler
Article
Monitoring Using a Sentinel Plant System Reveals Very Limited Aerial Spread of Phytophthora ramorum From Infected Ornamental Plants in a Quarantine Research Nursery
Plant Health Progress (2017)
  • Thomas Pastalka, Department of Natural Sciences and Mathematics, Dominican University of California
  • Suzanne Rooney-Latham, California Department of Food and Agriculture Plant Pest Diagnostics Lab
  • Kathleen Kosta, California Department of Food and Agriculture
  • Karen Suslow, Department of Natural Sciences and Mathematics, Dominican University of California
  • Vernon Huffman, Department of Natural Sciences and Mathematics, Dominican University of California
  • Sibdas Ghosh, Department of Natural Sciences and Mathematics, Dominican University of California
  • Wolfgang Schweigkofler, Department of Natural Sciences and Mathematics, Dominican University of California
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Abstract
The potential aerial spread of Phytophthora ramorum, causal agent of sudden oak death and Ramorum blight, from infected plants in a quarantine research nursery at the National Ornamentals Research Site at Dominican University of California (NORS-DUC) to the environment was monitored weekly for five years (2011 to 2016) using a sentinel system. Phytophthora ramorum was never detected on any of the sentinel plants (Rhododendron, Viburnum, and Loropetalum spp), indicating very limited aerial spread under suboptimal meteorological and environmental conditions. An infection experiment with host plants placed in the immediate vicinity of symptomatic plants proved the potential for short-distance (1 to 2 m) aerial transmission of P. ramorum. Other Phytophthora spp. causing symptoms similar to P. ramorum were detected during the rainy season (January to May) on the sentinel plants, among them potentially two novel species. These data reveal how sentinel monitoring at NORS-DUC allows for seasonal assessments of disease incidence and provide longitudinal data to assess the threat of P. ramorum movement in nurseries.
Keywords
  • Phytophthora ramorum,
  • Ornamentals,
  • Sudden Oak Death
Disciplines
Publication Date
March 16, 2017
DOI
10.1094/PHP-RS-16-0050
Citation Information
Thomas Pastalka, Suzanne Rooney-Latham, Kathleen Kosta, Karen Suslow, et al.. "Monitoring Using a Sentinel Plant System Reveals Very Limited Aerial Spread of Phytophthora ramorum From Infected Ornamental Plants in a Quarantine Research Nursery" Plant Health Progress Vol. 18 (2017) p. 9 - 16 ISSN: 1535-1025
Available at: http://works.bepress.com/wolfgang_schweigkofler/38/