Pathogen Causing Sudden Oak Death Found in PA Nursery

The following information was provided by Dr. Gary Moorman, Professor of Plant Pathology at Penn State University.

On Feb. 18, 2010 the Penn State Plant Disease Clinic received a sample of Laurus nobilis, known commonly as bay laurel, true laurel, sweet bay, laurel tree, Grecian laurel, or bay tree. Some people use its leaves in cooking. The tips of the leaves submitted were dead or dying and it was reported by the grower that 95% of well rooted plants in 12 or so flats exhibited the symptoms. The United States Department of Agriculture-Animal Plant Health Inspection Service (USDA-APHIS) confirmed the plants to be infected with Phytophthora ramorum, the Sudden Oak Death pathogen known to occur in trees and shrubs on the west coast of the U.S. and in Europe. The sample came from a commercial, primarily wholesale, greenhouse in eastern Pennsylvania. Phytophthora ramorum can infect many important ornamental trees and shrubs under the right conditions. There is a great deal of concern that this fungus-like organism could cause significant economic damage to eastern forests and landscapes if not excluded from the region.

The’ bay laurel’ submitted was not Umbelluiaria californica, the California bay or California bay laurel that grows on the west coast and is a major host of Phytophthora ramorum that then spreads to oaks. However, Laurus nobilis is known to be a host of Ph. ramorum.

The actual source of the Ph. ramorum in Pennsylvania is still under investigation and is very much in question. The infected plants had been grown in Pennsylvania from seed obtained from a source in California. As yet, there are no known cases of Ph. ramorum being seedborne. I learned recently that the ‘seed’ is sometimes received not as cleaned seed but as seed still in the drupe (fruit). That raises the possibility that the pathogen may have been in parts of the fruit other than the actual seed. It is also possible that the pathogen was infecting other plants in the greenhouse and spread to the Laurus. APHIS is doing ‘trace backward’ investigations to determine where the pathogen may have come from and ‘trace forwards’ to determine whether various plants sold by the Pennsylvania greenhouse are carrying the pathogen.

SO WHAT YOU SAY!!

Phytophthora ramorum has, to date, been excluded from the eastern U.S. but this occurrence may indicate that the plant pathogen is now or will soon be in the region from multiple sources. In 2009, Laurus nobilis was named as the Herb of the Year by the International Herb Association (IHA). Laurus nobilis seed can be purchased from a number of sources including through Amazon.com. Web information indicates that the seed is difficult to germinate. It is my understanding that people have been encouraged to grow this plant and that it has been used in various Master Gardener projects. If seed or tissue associated with seed is actually the source of the pathogen, it is possible that Phytophthora ramorum has arrived in the east with seed purchased by backyard gardeners, etc. Where is the ‘failed to germinate’ material discarded? Where are plants with dying leaf tips discarded?

If you are presented with Laurus nobilis plants with dead or dying leaf tips or entire plants dead or dying… those symptoms may be caused by:

too much water
too little water
too much fertilizer
chilling or freeze damage
Phytophthora ramorum infection

Send a sample to the Plant Disease Clinic after filling out the Clinic form obtained at the county Cooperative Extension office (also attached). Please put the plant or plant parts in a clean Ziploc or similar bag with a DRY paper towel. Place that bag inside another bag with the clinic form OUTSIDE both bags. Put the bagged sample and form either in a padded envelop or a cardboard box. Use overnight delivery OR mail it early in the week so that it arrives in the clinic promptly and does not sit in a post office over a weekend. If that requires holding the sample a day or two, then put the packaged sample in a refrigerator (not freezer) or in a cool place out of direct sunlight until it can be sent.

2010 Woodland Owners Conference Registration

Registration information for the 2010 Woodland Owners' Conference is now available on the Bradford County Extension website. Navigate to the upcoming programs section and click on 2010 Woodland Owners Conference. The conference is scheduled for Saturday, March 6 at the Pennsylvania College of Technology. visit the site for the brochure. If you are on the Susquehanna Woodlands eNewsletter list, you will be receiving an electronic brochure soon. I may be prejudiced but it looks like good information to me!

2010 Woodland Owners' Conference

The agenda for the 2010 Woodland Owners' Conference has been set. See below for tentative agenda. This year's theme is "Income From Your Woodland". The date is set for Saturday, March 6. The conference will again be held in the Penn's Inn of the Alvin C. Bush Campus Center on the campus of the Pennsylvania College of Technology in Williamsport, PA. The cost for the conference is $30 per person or $50 for couple from the same property. Put this event on your calendar for 2010. The Conference is sponsored by Penn State Cooperative Extension. You should be receiving either a hard copy of the brochure by regular mail or a copy with the next emailing of the Susquehanna Woodlands E-newsletter.

9:00 – 9:15 Welcome - - Henry Williams, VP, Central Susquehanna Woodland Owners Association
9:15 – 10:00 “Managing Habitat for Upland Game Birds” – Mark Banker, Ruffed Grouse Society
10:00 – 10:15 Break
10:15 – 11:00 “$ From Your Woodland: Environmental Services” – Dr. Mike Jacobson, PSU School of Forest Resources
11:00 – 11:15 Break
11:15 – 12:00 “$ From Your Woodland: Marcellus Shale Gas Update” – Tom Murphy, PSU Cooperative Extension
12:00 – 1:00 Lunch
1:00 – 1:20 Association Update, Jack Murray Award Presentation – Henry Williams
1:20 – 1:30 “Women and their Woods” – Nancy Baker, President, Bradford – Sullivan Forest Landowners Assoc.
1:30 – 2:15 “Above the Marcellus Shale” – Dr. Bob Hansen, PSU Cooperative Extension
2:15 – 2:30 Break
2:30 – 3:15 “$ From Your Woodland: Carbon Markets and Trading” – Brock Carlson, Forecon, Inc.
3:15 – 3:30 Wrap-up and Evaluation

The Knothole Bookstore will also be there. You can get good books for your woodlot management library at a reasonable price! Hope to see you at the conference.

Emerald Ash Borer in Juniata County

The Pennsylvania Dept. of Agriculture announced on Oct 30 that emerald ash borer has been discovered in Milford Township, Juniata County. The infestation is located along the Mifflin – Juniata County border. The quarantine on wood product movements has been expanded to include Juniata County. EAB has now been confirmed in 11 Pennsylvania Counties. If you believe you have seen evidence of EAB in your area contact your local Extension office, your local Pennsylvania Bureau of Forestry office, the regional Dept. of Agriculture office or the EAB hotline at 866-253-7189

National 4-H Forestry Invitational Launches a New Look Online!

The National 4-H Forestry Invitational has released a completely redesigned website (http://www.4hforestryinvitational.org/) and a brand new Facebook page! With the help of Southern Regional Extension Forestry specialists and funding provided by Farm Credit System (http://wilkins.sref.info/www/4h/4h/about/sponsors), the website, long overdue for an update, has a brand new look and feel! The purpose of the update was to redesign the site, giving it a more up to date look that would appeal to youth audiences. The Invitational committee has also given the site more functionality, with easy to access training material and user friendly technological advances such as online registration and forms. The site will be your main source for information related to the National 4-H Forestry Invitational competition. Check it out!

The National 4-H Forestry Invitational Facebook page will serve as a supplement to the redesigned site. Its purpose is to provide an online environment for the Invitational committee, coaches, team members, and alumni to interact educationally and socially. The Invitational administrators will use this site to post important news related to the upcoming Invitational along with practice questions and fun facts about forestry. Become a fan of the site and you can upload photos from past events, keep up with Invitational friends, provide the committee with feedback, post memories, and quiz each other in the discussion area!

To find the Invitational on Facebook go to our new website’s homepage and click on the "Find Us on Facebook" icon in the lower right. You can also type "National 4-H Forestry Invitational" into the search box on your Facebook page or go to the following URL:
http://www.facebook.com/pages/National-4-H-Forestry-Invitational/238193525251.

The purpose of the National 4-H Forestry Invitational is to instill in our young people an appreciation for the wise use of forestlands and to demonstrate the many benefits that forests provide including wood products, clean water, wildlife habitat, fresh air, and aesthetic beauty. 4-H Foresters learn citizenship and leadership skills as well as practical forest management skills through participation in the Invitational. By learning these skills young people are better prepared to be future decision makers and leaders who may be dealing with environmental issues in the future. For questions, comments, or additional information, please contact Dave Jackson at Penn State Cooperative Extension, 420 Holmes Avenue, Willowbank Bldg, Room 322, Bellefonte, PA 16823; Phone: (814) 355- 4897; e-mail: drj11@psu.edu or Dave McGill at West Virginia University, P.O. Box 6125, Morgantown, WV 26506-6125; Phone: (304) 293-2941 ext.2474; e-mail: dmcgill@wvu.edu.

The National 4-H Forestry Invitational encourages persons with disabilities to participate in its programs and activities. If you anticipate needing any type of special accommodations or have questions about the physical access provided, contact Penn State Cooperative Extension at 814-355-4897 in advance of your participation of visit.

State 4-H Orienteering High Scorers

The team of Greg Moyer (left) and Mark Munford (center) of the Liberty 4-H Club in Tioga County, PA took top honors in the orienteering novice division at the Pennsylvania 4-H State Achievement Days. Greg Moyer also was the high point individual scorer and Mark placed second. Greg and Mark demonstrated their knowledge of topographic maps and compass use as they navigated a course over various terrain. Congratulations to these 4-H members.

If you are interested in 4-H, contact your county Extension office and they can help you. There are a wide variety of projects available for youth from agriculture to technology to natural resources. It is a great program!

National 4-H Forestry Invitational

Pennsylvania Competes at National 4-H Forestry Invitational

Pennsylvania was among the 14 state teams that participated in the 30th annual National 4-H Forestry Invitational from Sunday, July 26, through Thursday, July 30.

At the Invitational 4-H members compete for overall team and individual awards in several categories. Events included a forestry written exam, tree identification, tree measurement, compass and pacing, insect and disease identification, topographic map use, the forestry bowl and forest evaluation.

The invitational was held at West Virginia University Jackson’s Mill State 4-H Camp and Conference Center near Weston, West Virginia. The Farm Credit System and the Cooperative Extension Service sponsored the event.

Pennsylvania was represented by Sara Beatty of Home, Jacob Beisel of Clymer, and Caleb McGaughran of Blairsville. The team was coached by Deborah Beisel and Ashley Early.

Forrest Ford of Alabama received the high-point individual award. Second place high individual award was given to Amelia DeWitt of Alabama and third place high individual award was given to Amber Jenkins of Georgia. Alabama was the overall team winner at this years event.

The Joe Yeager leadership award was given to Wilson Pierce of Georgia. This award is presented to the individual who demonstrated excellent communication, management, decision-making and interpersonal skills at the Invitational.