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Washington State University
WSU Puyallup Ornamental Plant Pathology

First Detector Workshops

WSU Sudden Oak Death Education
Phytophthora ramorum Educate To Detect Program

Adapted from USDA National PRED Program for WSU Extension

Objective: To provide training on how to recognize symptoms potentially caused by Phytophthora ramorum and how to screen samples to determine if they should be submitted to the WSU Puyallup Plant and Insect Diagnostic Laboratory for P. ramorum testing.

Background: Sudden Oak Death (SOD) and Ramorum Blight are plant diseases caused by the fungal-like organism P. ramorum. This USDA-APHIS regulated pathogen was first identified in 2000 after killing thousands of tan oaks in California and causing a leaf blight on rhododendrons in Europe. Since then it has been found to infect many plants common to Washington’s natural and ornamental landscapes, including rhododendron, viburnum, big leaf maple, madrone, grand fir, and Douglas-fir. P. ramorum has spread to the natural landscape in 14 coastal counties in California, and one county in southwestern Oregon. Since 2003 this pathogen has been detected in western Washington nurseries and was first detected in a stream in 2006. The Washington State Department of Agriculture, in cooperation with the United States Department of Agriculture, is monitoring Washington’s nurseries and implementing eradication efforts to keep this pathogen from spreading to the natural environment or landscapes. This program has been designed to train Master Gardeners and WSU Extension affiliates as first detectors of P. ramorum, in the event that this organism is introduced into Washington’s landscape. Information provided will also be applicable to diagnosis and detection of other plant pathogens.

Program outline

1) Background and history of P. ramorum

2) Current status of P. ramorum in Washington

3) Introduction to WSU Sudden Oak Death Education program

4) Recognizing potential symptoms and determining if samples should be submitted for P. ramorum testing

Funding for this outreach has been provided by the USDA Forest Service, Pacific Southwest Region, Forest Health Protection


For information, please contact:

Marianne Elliott
Puyallup Research and Extension Center
2606 W. Pioneer
Puyallup, WA 98371-4998
253-445-4596
melliott2@wsu.edu

Contact: Gary Chastagner, 253-445-4528 | WSU Puyallup Research & Extension Center, 2606 West Pioneer, Puyallup, WA, 98371-4998 USA
Last updated January 2, 2013