Country: United States

Title: Additions to APHIS List of Hosts and Plants

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On February 14, 2002, the USDA Animal Plant Health  Inspection Service (APHIS) published an interim rule in the Federal Register for Phytophthora ramorum (7 CFR 301.92).  This rule restricts the movement of certain restricted and regulated articles to prevent the artificial interstate spread of this disease-causing organism from areas where the disease is established.  APHIS also issued an Emergency Federal Order dated December 21, 2004, to regulate certain nurseries and plants to prevent the spread of the pathogen through nursery plants from California, Oregon and Washington.  APHIS has now learned that certain additional plants require regulating in order to control the artificial spread of this disease.  The purpose of this Official Pest Report is to provide notification that APHIS is listing and thus regulating eight new plants.

APHIS received information from the Department of Environment, Forestry, and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) of the United Kingdom that they had officially identified three new plants associated with P. ramorum.  These are:  Acer laevigatum - Aceraceae (Evergreen maple), Michelia doltsopa - Magnoliaceae (Michelia), Quercus petraea - Fagaceae (Sessile oak).  These three were found in green areas (a public garden or park-like setting).

A California researcher alerted APHIS that five plants found in the infested area of California demonstrated symptoms and have been determined to be infected with P. ramorum.  These plants are:  Adiantum aleuticum – Polypodiaceae (Western maidenhair fern), Fraxinus latifolia – Oleaceae (Oregon ash), Osmorhiza berteroi – Apiaceae (Sweet Cicely), Torreya californica – Taxaceae (California nutmeg), and Vancouveria planipetala – Berberidaceae (Redwood ivy).  All of these were found in a forest setting in the infested areas of California.

Therefore, these plants are now listed in the APHIS List of Hosts and Plants Associated with Phytophthora ramorum.  Effective immediately, the following are associated regulated articles which will be listed in 7 CFR 301.92 and in PPQ orders restricting the movement of nursery stock to prevent the spread of P. ramorum:

• Acer laevigatum - Aceraceae (Evergreen maple)
   Frost sensitive tree native to China
   Detected in Europe in green area
   Symptoms – chlorotic leaves and leaf necrosis 

• Adiantum aleuticum – Polypodiaceae (Western maidenhair fern)
   Fern native to parts of the United States
   Detected in forested setting in California infested area
   Symptoms – leaf necrosis 

• Fraxinus latifolia – Oleaceae (Oregon ash)
   Tree, native to U.S. west coast
   Detected in forested setting in California infested area
   Symptom – Leaf necrosis

• Michelia doltsopa - Magnoliaceae (Michelia)
   Small tree, native to China
   Detected in green areas of the United Kingdom
   Symptom – necrotic leaf lesions 

• Osmorhiza berteroi – Apiaceae (Sweet Cicely)
   Perennial herb, native to United States
   Detected in green area in California infested area
   Symptoms – necrotic leaf lesions, marginal necrosis and leaf dieback 

• Quercus petraea - Fagaceae (Sessile oak)
   Large tree, native to United Kingdom
   Detected in green areas of the United Kingdom
   Symptom – bole canker 

• Torreya californica – Taxaceae (California nutmeg)
   Tree, native to California
   Detected in forested setting in California infested area
   Symptoms – wilted necrotic shoots and twig cankers

• Vancouveria planipetala – Berberidaceae (Redwood ivy)
   Perennial herb, native to U.S. west coast
   Detected in forested setting in California infested area
   Symptom – necrotic leaf lesions 

This action is authorized under the Plant Protection Act, as amended, Section 412(a), which authorizes the U.S. Secretary of Agriculture to prohibit or restrict the movement in interstate commerce of any plant, plant part, or article, if the Secretary determines the prohibition or restriction is necessary to prevent the dissemination of a plant pest within the United States.

This action is also authorized by 7 CFR 301.92-2(b)(2) which designates restricted articles or any other product or article that an inspector determines to present a risk of spreading P. ramorum.  This designation requires the inspector to notify the person in possession of the product or article that it is an associated article.

 

Posted Date: Sept. 14, 2005, 9 a.m.