Phytophthora ramorum, is a fungus-like plant pathogen that causes a disease known as Ramorum Blight and Leafdrop on a wide variety of nursery plants. It has also been associated with a disease of oak, known as "Sudden Oak Death" that was first observed in coastal California in the mid-1990's and now occurs as far north as southern Oregon.
The Canadian Food Inspection Agency conducts annual surveys for P. ramorum and has detected the pathogen on host plants in a number of nurseries in southern coastal British Columbia since 2003.
When P. ramorum is detected, the nursery is placed under quarantine and all infected plant material is destroyed. Trace forward and trace back investigations are conducted to eliminate the organism from the plants for planting pathway.
What information is available
Inspection procedures
Policy directives
- D-08-04: Plant protection import requirements for plants and plant parts for planting
- D-02-12: Phytosanitary import requirements for non-processed wood and other wooden products, bamboo and bamboo products, originating from all areas other than the continental United States
- D-01-12: Phytosanitary requirements for the importation and domestic movement of firewood
- D-01-01: Phytosanitary requirements to prevent the entry and spread of Phytophthora ramorum
- D-98-08: Entry Requirements for wood packaging material into Canada
- D-96-20: Canadian Growing Media Program, prior approval process and import requirements for plants rooted in approved media
- D-95-26: Phytosanitary requirements for soil and soil-related matter, and for items contaminated with soil and soil-related matter
- Areas regulated for the control of Phytophthora ramorum
- List of plants regulated for Phytophthora ramorum (Sudden Oak Death)
- Pest Risk Assessment Summary (Kristjansson and Miller, 2009)
- Phytophthora Ramorum Compensation Regulations [Repealed, SOR/2017-94, s. 24] - 2017-05-19
Additional government and industry information
- California Oak Mortality Task Force
- State of California
- State of Oregon
- United States Department of Agriculture