JARS v59n2 - Phytophthora ramorum: Nurseries Comply with New Order

Phytophthora ramorum: Nurseries Comply with New Order
Sonja Nelson and Mike Stewart

In order to halt the potential spread of the plant disease SOD caused by Phytophthora ramorum the U.S. Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service has implemented a strict inspection program so that interstate movement of certain nursery stock, including rhododendrons, from nurseries in California, Oregon and Washington may continue. This emergency order is provided for in the U.S. Plant Protection Act and began Jan. 10, 2005.

Previous to this order, only shipment of plants from quarantined areas, where P. ramorum was actually found, were restricted. With the new order all nurseries shipping interstate are considered "regulated," which means that all nurseries shipping potential host plants of P. ramorum interstate must be inspected and certified as P. ramorum -free.

The Journal advertisers include several nurseries from the three-state area that ship rhododendrons interstate and fall under the new regulations. Among the Oregon nursery advertisers in this issue that ship interstate all have been certified as P. ramorum -free. These include Van Veen Nursery, Hidden Acres Nursery, Bovees, A Sandy Rhododendron and Greer Gardens. Among the Washington nursery advertisers in this issue that ship interstate all have been certified as P. ramorum -free. These include Whitney Gardens & Nursery, Rhododendron Species Foundation and Hammond Acres of Rhodys. The one California nursery advertiser that ships interstate, Singing Tree Gardens, has also been certified as P. ramorum -free.

The new regulations have created much extra work for all rhododendron nurseries, including those who haven't advertised in the ARS Journal, in order to provide us with healthy plants. We encourage our readers to continue to support them.