List of host countries of Phytopthora ramorum expanded to include Argentina and Japan

EPPO Reporting Service No. 3 2021 (https://gd.eppo.int/reporting/article-6988) cited recent research indicating an expanded distribution of Phytophthora ramorum. In response, after subsequent investigation of the cited research, Japan is now recognised as a high-risk country where Phytophthora ramorum is present. The cited research is Jung, T., et al. (2021) The destructive tree pathogen Phytophthora ramorum originates from the laurosilva forests of East Asia. Journal of Fungi 7, DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/jof7030226

Australia now also recognises Argentina as a high-risk country where Phytophthora ramorum is present, as a result of research conducted by Vélez, M. V., et al. (2020) Phytophthora austrocedri in Argentina and co-inhabiting phytophthoras: roles of anthropogenic and abiotic factors in species distribution and diversity. Forests 11, DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/f11111223

Plants for planting (nursery stock) from Argentina and Japan must comply with specific conditions for import into Australia, which includes mandatory post-entry quarantine growth and testing for Phytophthora ramorum at the Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment post-entry quarantine facility.

Import conditions are available on Australia's Biosecurity Import Conditions (BICON) system: https://bicon.agriculture.gov.au/BiconWeb4.0/