SAN DIEGO, July 13 Sudden Oak Death is devastating California's coastal oak and tanoak trees, scientists said.
The disease is caused by the pathogen Phytophthora ramorum, which manifests itself as a foliar or twig blight on more than 100 known plant species. Unlike Sudden Oak Death, the foliar and twig blight rarely causes the host plant to die. Instead, the spores build up on leaf and twig surfaces and facilitate pathogen spread, the American Phytopathological Society said Friday in a release.
Susan Frankel of the USDA-Forest Service said only 10.5 percent of the state's forests are considered at risk for pathogen establishment are currently infested.
"There is still a lot of land out there for us to protect and an early detection, eradication and containment program will help us accomplish this," said Frankel.
She said landscapers and homeowners need to be careful not to inadvertently plant infested ornamentals. People visiting areas known to be infested should not remove any host material from the site.
Visitors should also remove all organic material from shoes, equipment, tires, pet's paws and other surfaces before leaving an infested area.
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