Confirmation of chestnut blight in north-east Victoria

 

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Publication Date

Tue, 30 Jun 2015, 06:11

Last Updated

June 30, 2015, 6:11 a.m.

Report Number

AUS-40/1

Country

Australia

Pest Id

Cryphonectria parasitica - (ENDOPA)

Report Status

Final

Hosts

Chestnut (Castanea sativa) is considered the primary host with oak (Quercus) a confirmed host.

Pest Status (old values from ISPM 8 -1998 )

• Present: under eradication

Pest Status (ISPM 8 - 2021)

• Present: not widely distributed and under official control

Geographical Distribution

To date, the disease has only been detected on a small number of chestnut trees in several orchards in north-east Victoria. The disease has not been found in Australia before. Chestnut blight occurs in Japan, China, Korea, USA, Canada and throughout Eur

Summary

Infected properties have been quarantined and north-east Victoria is a declared quarantine zone to restrict the movement of chestnut planting material and nuts, and of oak plants. All infected material on trees at properties infected with suspected blight has been removed pending destruction and the remaining trees treated with fungicide spray. Surveillance and tracing is underway to delimit the disease. There are nearly 350 chestnut growers in Australia with around 75 per cent of production in the north-east region of Victoria. The European chestnut is the most common chestnut variety in Australia and the crop is harvested between March and May

Danger

Chestnut blight is a serious fungal disease which mostly affects the trunk and branches. It invades stems and branches of any size and causes cankers that can grow rapidly. In most cases, these cankers continue to develop until the stem or branches are girdled and the tree is entirely colonised and eventually dies. Chestnut blight is considered a significant and damaging disease of chestnut and is a quarantine pest for Australia. It poses a threat to Australia’s small but locally important chestnut industry. Chestnut trees also offer significant amenity value as street and garden trees in southern areas of Australia.

Contact for info

Chief Plant Protection Officer Australian Government Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry GPO Box 858 Canberra ACT 2601 Australia [email protected]

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