"Ej Forest (Research
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"eJ forest (research No. 118, MaJ!..2002 . PINE PITCH CANKER REACHES SOUTH AMERICA Pine pitch canker disease (FHNews 111:1) was recently discovered for the first time in South America, in the vicinity of Concepci6n in Chile'. Unhealthy container- grown seedlings and open-rooting cutting stools of Pinus radiata with characteristic resin-bleeding symptoms were found to be infected by the causal fungus, Fusarium subglutinans f. sp. pini (synonym, F. circ.inatum, also known as Gibberella circinata). Young plants affected by this disease exude resin from around the root colIar, which also soaks into the adjacent wood tissues, and death folIows soon after. As in South Africa, where pine pitch canker was --foWld on nursery stock in [99~fue disease has- not-yet been found in pine plantations in Chile. Pinus radiata regeneration dying from pine pitch canker disease in California 'New Disease Reports 4: <http://www.bspp.org.uk/ndr> (Margaret Dick, Forest Research) . FOREST BIOSECURITY IN REVERSE The arrival of pine pitch canker disease in South America is yet another reminder of the enhanced risk of new incursions resulting from increasing trade and travel, and of the need for constant vigilance. The vision of an overarching biosecurity strategy currently being developed for New Zealand is a logical response to a comparatively . I~ recent spate of pest and pathogen introductions, folIowing i. ... --- sweeping changes in administrative policies over the past SeedlingsofPinns radiatawith pine pitch canker disease, 15 years. Other countries are equalIy aware of the showingroot collar resin bleeding importance of biosecurity. In March this year the International Plant Protection Convention (IPPC) adopted Plantation forestry in Chile, like that in New Zealand, is an international standard governing, among other items, the based on P. radi()ta, so this incursion is a real issue for the treatment of solid wood packing materials such as crates, industry in that country. Concern is heightened by the palIets, and dunnage, in order to impede the transport of results of research undertaken in the United States showing forest pests hitchhiking in this materiaP. There has already that several~~E! pest.s present in Chile are c~I>ableo( -been critieism,-some of-it originating from quarters in-the-- vectoring and transporting Fusarium subglutinans f. sp. United States, that the agreed measures are not sufficiently pini between specimens of P. radiata. Insects able to rigorous. The US is very conscious of the threat to its transmit this fungus include a number of cone, twig and forests from introduced pests, and has developed stringent bark beetles, pine weevils and spittlebugs. These pests regulations to prevent new introductions. For some years it create wounds, which enable the fungus to invade and infect the host. Insects are believed to be the main means of has been necessary to process logs from New Zealand forests destined for the US by removing the bark and disease spread in stands of P. radiata in California, while applying fungicide and insecticide soon after felIing. infection of wounds by airborne spores is probably rare. Pine pitch canker disease is currently regarded as one of the These requirements were established as a result of the most serious international biosecurity threats to pine increased export log trade to the US during the 1990s. In plantations, especialIy in the Southern Hemisphere, and its 1992 a team from the US Department of Agriculture Forest continuing global spread is of particular concern to New Service spent a period in New Zealand at the request of the Zealand. New Zealand, Australia, and Chile are currently US Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) in participating in a colIaborative programme to screen order to assess the risk to US forests from logs originating breeding lines of P. radiata for susceptibility to the disease. in this country, and to prepare a comprehensive report'. The objective is to identifY families demonstrating FuII cooperation was given by Industry and Government resistance that may form the basis for a selection and representatives in New Zealand, and in particular by the breeding strategy. Forest Health Group, Forest Research, who made available Newsletter of the Forest Health and Biosecurity Project, and the Forest Health Reference Laboratory (incorporating the Forest Research Mycological Herbarium (NZFRI-M), the Forest Research Culture Collection (NZFS), and the National Forest Insect Collection (FRNZ). Edited by lan Hood, Ne.w Zealand Forest Research Institute Ltd, Private Bag 3020, Rotorua. <[email protected]>, Web site < httP:'//wwwforesthealth.co.nz> Forest Health News 118, May 2002 much information and experience. It was deemed important Lee's main interests at present are concerned with exotic that the team acquire an accurate perception of the real risk wood- and bark-boring insects in international trade. In from this trade, which was not considered to be great. This conjunction with the Canadian Food inspection agency the view was vindicated in February, 2000, when the US Federal Canadian Forest Service has a programme for monitoring the Court dismissed an appeal by three environmental groups to interception and establishment of these insects in Canada. This ban new imports of unmanufactured wood products after work has shown that six exotic species of wood- and bark- APHIS successfully demonstrated that its import regime boring insects have established in Canada in the past seven effectively managed the biosecurity risks. An earlier 18-month years. This figure is a good deal higher than the equivalent one injunction on log imports lifted in 1999 was considered to have for New Zealand but on the other hand we intercept far more cost New Zealand exporters $30-40 million in new business. and a much greater variety of these insects in New Zealand. Concern about the potential risk of new introductions in The BUGS database archive of New Zealand interceptions of imported forest products has not diminished following this wood- and bark-boring insects held at Forest Research is of decision. The current great interest to the Canadians and we are using it to provide Exotic Forest Pest relevant information to assist them. Such cooperation can only Information System' help to improve timber quarantine internationally. biosecurity database (John Bain, Forest Research) being developed for North America . NEW RECORDS includes, among The following records reported by the Forest Health Reference others, the following Laboratory (Forest Research) result ftom a general surveillance insects and fungi, programme comprising public enquires, and small block and risk site commonly found in surveys, funded by the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry. Members New- 'Zealand pine~- of the public are encouraged to submit to this laboratory any samples of pests or pest damage on trees or shrubs that they suspect might be plantations: Armillaria new to New Zealand. This is a ftee service funded by Ministry of limonea, Armillaria Cover design for USDA Forest Service Agriculture and Forestry for the detection of new pest introductions. novae-zelandiae, Miscellaneous Publication 1508 (1992) Cyclaneusma minus, New host record for New Zealand - Fungus: Coniothyrium ovatum; Hylastes ater, Hylurgus ligniperda, Junghuhnia vincta, Bioregion: Wellington; Host: Eucalyptus leucoxylon; Coll: BJ Rogan, Leptographium truncatum, Sirex noctilio, Sphaeropsis 30/3/2002; Ident: K Dobbie, 11/4/2002; Comments: Previously sapinea. Maintaining high standards is clearly essential to recorded on Eucalyptus calophylla, E. ficifolia, E. globulus, E. leucoxylon, and E. sideroxylon. ensuring the continuation of the export log trade. New host record for New Zealand Fungns: Phyllosticta spinarum; ]<http://www.fao.org/WAICENT/FaoInfo/Agricult!AGP/AGPP/PQ/Default.htm > - 'Pest Risk Assessment of the Importation of Pinus radiata and Douglas-fir Logs from Bioregion: Auckland; Host: Cupressus sempervirens; Coll: BJ New Zealand. USDA Forest Service Miscellaneous Publication No. 1508 (Oct. 1992). Rogan, 28/3/2002;Ident: JF Gardner, 10/4/2002. , <www.exoticforestpests.org> (Editor) New host record for New Zealand - Insect: Acrocercops laciniella; Bioregion: Auckland; Host: Eucalyptus obliqua; Coll: BJ Rogan, . ASIAN LONGHORN BEETLE, AGAIN 27/3/2002; Ident: R Crabtree, 2/4/2002. At present Americans are particularly conscious of the menace New host and new distribution record for New Zealand - Insect: of new incursions, as a result of the threat posed by the Asian Acrocercops laciniella; Bioregion: Taupo; Host: Eucalyptus longhorn beetle (Anoplophora glabripennis) which appeared delegatensis; Coll: C Barr, 9/4/2002; Ident: R Crabtree, 16/4/2002. i!1New York in 1996, and in Chicago two years later (FHNews New host record for New Zealand - Insect: Gastrosarusnigricollis; 106:1,110:1). Already many hardwood trees have been Bioregion: Auckland; Host: Agonis jlexuosa; Coll: BJ Rogan, destroyed, and potential losses could exceed US$650 billion, 26/3/2002; Ident: J Bain, 4/4/2002; Comments: Gastrosarus according to one estimate. This new pest is now considered nigricollis has been recorded as twig borer in a variety of native and important enough to have become the subject of a exotic hosts including Betula spp, Cassinia spp, Crataegus sp, comprehensive artjcle featuring in the latest issue of Time Cyathodes spP. Discaria toumatou, Fagus sylvatica, Leptospermum magazine (27 May, US edition). scoparium, Leucopogon fasciculatus,