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Fishing for Phytophthora in WA

Fishing across the West: THE CATCH AND WHAT NEXT?

During October to December 2008, over 50 water bodies from Kununurra to Esperance were surveyed for Phytophthora species by over 20 volunteers using “fishing” baits. Water bodies sampled included creeks, rivers, private dams, estuaries, and lakes. The main aim was to catalogue the diversity of Phytophthora species present in the water bodies. The outbreak of P. ramorum in California and Europe, where early detection of an infested area was important to the success of containment and eradication efforts, has popularised the stream surveys in native ecosystems worldwide.  Additionally, our project aimed to develop methodologies for continual monitoring of water bodies in disease free areas for Phytophthora species that cause landscape problems and for monitoring of introduced species from interstate or overseas.

No water body was free of Phytophthora. A total of nine Phytophthora species were isolated including P. inundata and P. cinnamomi var. parvispora and seven undescribed species. P. inundata has been associated with dying native vegetation in the southwest of WA, and this study has shown that it is widespread in water bodies. The role as pathogens of the other species is currently unknown, and will be investigated further.

Visit the “Fishing for Phytophthora” website for more information at www.f4p.murdoch.edu.au.