Phytophthora Contamination in a Nursery and Its Potential Dispersal into the Natural Environment.

A detailed site investigation of a eucalypt nursery suffering disease losses revealed the causal agent to be Phytophthora boodjera. The pathogen was detected in vegetation surrounding the nursery production area, including the lawn, under the production benches during the growing season, and, most importantly, from plant debris in used trays. However, it was not found in the container substrate, water supplies, or production equipment or on the workers themselves.

Phytophthora boodjera sp. nov., a damping-off pathogen in production nurseries and from urban and natural landscapes, with an update on the status of P. alticola.

A new homothallic Phytophthora species, isolated in Western Australia (WA), is described as Phytophthora boodjera sp. nov. It produces persistent, papillate sporangia, oogonia with thick-walled oospores, and paragynous antheridia.