The oak trees are a characteristics part of many Californian coasts. But, nature does not seem to be in favor of the region’s beauty-features. The devastating plant disease ‘Sudden Oak Death’ has been plundering the coastal oak and tanoak trees for years, which has only increased in recent days.
But, it is the lack of awareness programs and guidance on how to save the trees, have only led to the disease’s spread. Due to these concerns, information on how to go about for the Californians will be dominating a news conference to be held there, with discussions centering on plant diseases vital for the country’s agriculture and hence economy.
Sudden Oak Death Research Program Manager, USDA-Forest Service, Pacific Southwest Research Station, Susan Frankel said,
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.
Since, the pathogen’s — Phytophthora ramorum – infestation has already devastated many mature trees of high economic-value, the conference will stress on helping protect areas that are not yet exposed to the pathogen.
But how?
It all lies in the hand of the local landscapers and homeowners. Yes, they need to be careful while purchasing the plants. They need to be sure that the plants look healthy. They must be also free of browning leaf tips or edges, as many of these hosts allow spores to build up on leaf and twig surfaces, letting the spread of the pathogen.
And, if anyone is visiting an infested area, he should not remove any host material from the site, which also includes firewood.
Since, plant pathologists have identified three lineages of P. ramorum by new DNA research, local people must comply with state and federal regulations to help successful irradiation of the devastating disease.
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