Alerts
Revised import conditions for nursery stock hosts of Sudden Oak Death
Effective from 20 January 2016The import conditions contained in this BICON case are in the process of being updated to include the revised import conditions for nursery stock hosts of Phytophthora ramorum and related members of the Phytophthora complex (Sudden Oak Death).
Before applying for an import permit, please ensure that you are familiar with the content outlined in the alert. This notice will be removed when this BICON case update is complete.
Revised import conditions for nursery stock hosts of Phytophthora ramorum and related members of the Phytophthora complex (Sudden Oak Death) - December 2015
Who does this notice affect?
This notification is to advise all importers of nursery stock that the Department of Agriculture and Water Resources has finalised ‘the review of policy for the importation of Phytophthora ramorum host propagative material into Australia’. The final review can be found on the department’s website at
http://www.agriculture.gov.au/biosecurity/risk-analysis/memos/ba2015-19
.
Phytophthora ramorum, the cause of Sudden Oak Death (SOD), and related members of the Phytophthora complex (P. kernoviae, P. nemorosa and P. pseudosyringae) are serious exotic plant fungal pathogens affecting a range of plant genera in a number of regions throughout the world.
What is the change?
The final review has expanded the host list for Phytophthora ramorum, P. kernoviae, P. nemorosa and P. pseudosyringae. As a result of the review, the following changes to import requirements take effect from December 2015:
Conditions for propagative material from SOD host countries (Canada, United States, New Zealand and European countries)
The importation of bare-rooted plants, budwood, dormant cuttings and tissue cultures of all natural hosts of Phytophthora species from SOD host countries is allowed subject to the following measures:
Restricting bare-rooted plants without foliage, budwood and dormant cuttings to one-year-old material, thereby reducing the exposure of material to disease infection.
On-arrival inspection of imported material to verify freedom from disease symptoms, live pests, soil and biosecurity risk material.
Mandatory insecticidal treatment and surface sterilisation of all bare-rooted plants, budwood, dormant cuttings in post-entry quarantine.
Mandatory growth in the Australian Government Post-Entry Quarantine Facility (Mickleham, Victoria) for a minimum of 12 months (budwood, dormant cuttings and tissue cultures) or 15 months (bare-rooted plants), with disease screening and active testing for Phytophthora species.
Conditions for propagative material from non-SOD host countries (All countries excluding Canada, United States, New Zealand or European countries)
Consignments must be accompanied by an official government Phytosanitary certificate from the country of origin of the nursery stock, endorsed with the following additional declaration:
“Plant material in this consignment were grown only in ..........(insert country) which is free from Sudden Oak Death (Phytophthora ramorum, P. kernoviae, P. nemorosa and P. pseudosyringae)”
OR
“Tissue cultures in this consignment were derived from plants and tissue cultures that were grown only in .......... (insert country) which is free from Sudden Oak Death (Phytophthora ramorum, P. kernoviae, P. nemorosa and P. pseudosyringae)”
Note: Consignments not accompanied by a Phytosanitary certificate with the above declaration must be grown and tested for Phytophthora species in the Australian Government Post-Entry Quarantine Facility, re-exported or destroyed at the importer’s expense.
Consignments will be subject to all other import conditions as required in BICON, including on-arrival inspection, insecticidal treatment and/or disease screening in a post-entry quarantine facility.
Additional background information
The introduction of these Phytophthora species into Australia would have significant economic consequences. Phytophthora ramorum is one of the most destructive pathogens of oak and a range of other host plants with substantial commercial value. If introduced, this species will cause plant death and increase the cost of production due to its regulatory impact.
Further information about Sudden Oak death is available on the Plant Health Australia website at
http://www.planthealthaustralia.com.au/pests/sudden-oak-death/
Further information
Please email
imports@agriculture.gov.au
This Alert applies to the following Cases:
- Pseudotsuga spp. for use as nursery stock
- Eucalyptus spp. for use as nursery stock
- Cupressus spp. for use as nursery stock
- Tropical fruit for use as nursery stock which are Sudden Oak Death hosts
- Plant Quarantine - Physocarpus spp - Nursery stock
- Chamaecyparis spp. for use as nursery stock
- Castanea spp. for use as nursery stock
- Sudden oak death and fireblight hosts for use as nursery stock
- Rosa spp. for use as nursery stock
- Forestry or amenity species that are hosts of Sudden Oak Death
- Sudden oak death hosts for use as nursery stock
- Xylella fastidiosa and sudden oak death hosts for use as nursery stock
- Forestry or amenity species that are hosts of Xylella fastidiosa and Sudden Oak Death
- Camellia spp. for use as nursery stock
- Corylus spp. for use as nursery stock
- Berberis, Mahonia and Mahoberberis for use as nursery stock
- Hydrangea spp. for use as nursery stock
- Ornamental virus hosts for use as Nursery stock