The fine folks in the horticulture department at Oregon State University asked us to share this information with you:

Plant pathologists Jennifer Parke and Carrie Lewis, Oregon State University, and Nik Grunwald, USDA-ARS Horticultural Crops Research Laboratory, are looking for a few nurseries to participate in a one-year Phytophthora study. In earlier work, reported in the December 2008 Digger, they identified common sources of Phytophthora contamination in four Oregon nurseries.

In the current study, they will compare contamination in nurseries that participate in ODA’s Grower-Assisted Inspection Program (GAIP) with nurseries that do not participate in the program to see if the program is effective in reducing Phytophthora incidence. They currently have five GAIP nurseries and one non-GAIP nursery, and are looking for four non-GAIP nurseries. Each nursery will be sampled twice, in summer and in winter. The researchers will collect gravel and soil from greenhouses and can yards, debris from used containers, and recycled irrigation water to test for the presence of Phytophthora species. Results of the data collected will be made available to participating nurseries, free of charge, in 2010 after it is analyzed. Participation in the study will be kept confidential.

To participate in the study, you need to grow Phytophthora-susceptible host plants, re-use containers, irrigate with recycled water, and never have been contaminated with Phytophthora ramorum.

If your nursery would like to participate, or if you have further questions, please contact Carrie Lewis, phone 541-737-9576; e-mail Carrie.Lewis@oregonstate.edu.