First report of Chalara fraxinea in the United Kingdom
During an official inspection carried out in February 2012, symptoms of ash dieback were observed on Fraxinus excelsior in a nursery located in southern England (GB). Suspect symptoms were identified in a lot of 600 plants which had been imported from the Netherlands in November 2011. The presence of Chalara fraxinea (EPPO Alert List) was confirmed on the basis of the morphological characteristics of the fungus. Eradication measures were immediately put into place and the infected lot of F. excelsior was destroyed. Further investigations on the site revealed suspect symptoms in other Fraxinus species which had also been introduced into the nursery in November 2011, and the identification of the causal agent is currently underway. Investigations are being carried out to trace-back all Fraxinus consignments originating from the same Dutch supplier which had been imported into the United Kingdom, as well as to trace-forward all plants from the infected lot which have already been sold by the British nursery. Finally, surveys will be carried out in the vicinity of the nursery to check whether C. fraxinea is present in wild ash trees.
The pest status of Chalara fraxinea in the United Kingdom is officially declared as: Transient, actionable, under eradication.
Sources
NPPO of the United Kingdom (2012-03).