Incursion of Phytophthora lateralis in Croatia
Phytophthora lateralis (EPPO A2 List) was found in April 2015 in a hedge of Chamaecyparis lawsoniana (Port Orford cedar) trees in the village of Mali Poganac, in the county of Koprivnica-Križevci (Central Croatia). The identity of the pathogen was confirmed by morphological and molecular tests. As no other host plants of P. lateralis occurred in the vicinity, it is considered that the pathogen was probably introduced with the C. lawsoniana plants that had been bought in a nursery in 2010 and were likely imported from the Netherlands. All of C. lawsoniana trees in the hedge died by May 2016.
Further surveys in the following years did not detect symptoms of decline caused by P. lateralis in this area, nor in any nurseries or garden centres. It is considered that P. lateralis is no longer present in Croatia.
The situation of Phytophthora lateralis in Croatia can be described as: Absent, pest no longer present.
Sources
Tomić Ž, Novak A, Šimunac K, Križanac I, Ivić D (2024) Phytophthora lateralis Tucker & Milbrath na pačempresu (Chamaecyparis lawsoniana (A. Murray bis) Parl.) u Hrvatskoj. Glasilo biljne zaštite 24(6), 615-633. https://hrcak.srce.hr/323383
Personal communication with Tomić Ž (2025-04).