Phytophthora lateralis

Abstract: Species of Phytophthora are prominent in lists of emerging threats to forest ecosystems. We explore the conditions leading to and the consequences of the emergence of some Phytophthora species from their presumptive coevolved roles in undisturbed forest ecosystems to destructive agents as invasive forest pathogens. Phytophthora species are widespread, relatively abundant, very diverse, and poorly understood in many relatively undisturbed forest ecosystems. Three examples are examined in detail to illustrate the range of pathways to emergence and the varied consequences to forest environments. Phytophthora lateralis causes Port-Orford cedar root disease in western North America and now Europe. Phytophthora ramorum is causing unprecedented mortality in oak and tanoak forests in California, as the cause of sudden oak death, and is killing planted larch in the UK, and Phytophthora cinnamomi kills trees in parts of the world where it has been introduced. Active programs are underway in each case to manage, if not eliminate, their damage. In no case, however, has eradication been achieved. Prevention, by blocking initial introduction, has the highest probability of success.

Abstract: The geographic origins of the invasive Phytophthora species, P. lateralis and P. ramorum are unknown. In 2008 soil samples were collected in an old growth yellow cedar (Chamaecyparis obtusa var. formosana) stand in the Ma-kau Ecological Park in north eastern Taiwan and subjected to Phytophthora baiting procedures at 18� C. Cedar needle baits yielded isolates of a slow growing Phytophthora culture from one soil sample, together with P. cinnamomi. Phytophthora bisheria sp. nov. was obtained from another sample. The slow growing isolates conformed closely to P. lateralis in the morphology of their sporangia and chlamydospores, growth–temperature relationships, absence of gametangia and their ITS and cox II sequences. The isolates’ sporangia were partially caducous, with short pre-formed pedicels of ca. 3–5 lm, a highly unusual feature in a non-papillate Phytophthora. The isolates also produced multicellular stromata on cedar decoction agar. Small morphological and molecular differences were observed between the Taiwan-isolates and Oregon-control isolates. Taiwan may lie within the geographic centre of origin of P. lateralis. By analogy Japan may also lie within the natural range of P. lateralis; and Japan, along with Taiwan and Yunnan, could be an origin for the closely related P. ramorum.

Abstract: Summary Phytophthora lateralis has been isolated from root and collar lesions in Port-Orford Cedar (POC) trees (Chamaecyparis lawsoniana) in north-western France (Brittany). These trees, planted in hedgerows, displayed symptoms similar to the typical symptoms of POC root disease. Until now, the disease has been found outside of the nurseries only in western North America. Aerial symptoms, not associated with root or collar infections, were also observed, and P. lateralis was isolated from branch lesions. Similar symptoms were previously observed only in one POC root disease site, located in the Pacific coast of Oregon where climatic conditions are similar to those occurring in Brittany. The reported aetiology as well as the morphological characteristics (deciduous sporangia) of P. lateralis suggests that this species could be air-dispersed, as described for P. ramorum, a closely related species. This outbreak of P. lateralis in Brittany in farming landscapes associated with the aerial spread of this pathogen represents a new threat for European countries.