Dothistroma needle blight is a declared pest in WA
Dothistroma needle blight is not known to occur in WA and must be reported to the department if found or suspected to be present in WA.
Early detection is critical to help protect the WA forestry industry.
About dothistroma needle blight
Dothistroma needle blight (Dothistroma septosporum) is a fungal pest that causes needle loss, slow growth and sometimes death in many types of pine and some related conifers.
This disease is not known to occur in Western Australia. Early detection and reporting will help protect WA forestry.
- It can cause disease in at least 82 species of pines.
- Very susceptible pines include radiata pine (Pinus radiata), ponderosa pine (Pinus ponderosa), Scott’s pine (Pinus sylvestris), maritime pine (Pinus pinaster) and Japanese black pine (Pinus thunbergii).
- It is also known to attack some types of spruce, cedar, fir, larch and douglas fir.
- Reddish-brown spots and bands appear on the needles.
- The disease eventually girdles the pine needle. The needle beyond the diseased band then dies and turns brown, while the bottom part of the needle stays green.
- Infected needles eventually turn completely brown and drop from the tree.
- When older needles are lost tufts of needles at the ends of branches gives a “lions tail” appearance.
- Disease symptoms begin at the base of the tree then gradually move upwards.
Dothistroma needle blight reduces the productivity of pine plantations and makes pines planted in gardens unhealthy and unsightly.
- Tiny black fungal fruiting bodies appear in infected needles.
- Thousands of spores are produced when the weather is cool and wet.
- Spores spread from plant to plant by splashing of rain drops and wind.
- Long distance spread is via human movement of infected plants or plant parts.
Legal duty to report
Dothistroma needle blight is not known to occur in WA.
Dothistroma septosporum (Dorog.) M. Morelet (1968) is a declared pest under section 12 of the Biosecurity and Agriculture Management Act 2007.
This means that any person who finds or suspects the presence of Dothistroma needle blight must report it to DPIRD.
WA's freedom from Dothistroma needle blight is supported by general and specific surveillance, and specific import requirements to prevent its entry.