Repeated emergence of sudden oak death in Oregon: Chronology, impact, and management

Authors: LEBOLDUS, JARED - Oregon State University; NAVARRO, SARAH - Us Forest Service (FS); KLINE, NORMA - Oregon State University; RITOKOVA, GABRIELA - Oregon Department Of Forestry; Grunwald, Niklaus - Nik

Submitted to: Plant Disease
Publication Type: Review Article
Publication Acceptance Date: 4/12/2022
Publication Date: 11/22/2022
Citation: LeBoldus, J.M., Navarro, S.M., Kline, N., Ritokova, G., Grunwald, N.J. 2022. Repeated emergence of sudden oak death in Oregon: Chronology, impact, and management. Plant Disease. 106(12):3013-3021. https://doi.org/10.1094/PDIS-02-22-0294-FE.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1094/PDIS-02-22-0294-FE

Interpretive Summary: Phytophthora ramorum is the causal agent of sudden oak death in South West Oregon forests. Although the epidemic has to date been managed by an interagency team since its first discovery in 2001, new variants continue to emerge. This feature article documents the repeated emergence, impact, management costs, and lessons learned from managing this devastating invasive pathogen.

Technical Abstract: It has been two decades since the first detection of the sudden oak death pathogen Phytophthora ramorum in Oregon forests. Although the epidemic was managed since its first discovery in 2001, at least 3 more invasions of three variants, NA1, EU1 and NA2, are documented to have occurred to date. Control of this epidemic has cost over $32 million from 2001-2020. This feature article documents the repeated emergence, impact, costs, and lessons learned from managing this devastating invasive pathogen.