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Testing for Sudden Oak Death – Culturing on Selective Media


The traditional method for identifying Phytophthoras is to isolate and grow them on Petri plates containing a selective growth media.
California Bay Laurel
P. ramorum in Culture
Microscopic organisms are isolated from infected soil or plant tissue and sterile cultured on to Petri plates containing PARP agar. PDF
After 5 to 7 days the plates are examined under a microscope for the presence of the distinctive spores of Phytophthora ramorum.
P. ramorum Chlamydospores

Pros and Cons of the culturing method:
Pro:
– Only relatively low tech equipment required.
– Culturing techniques are relatively easy to learn.
– Relatively low cost (although PARP media is expensive).

Con:
– State and Federal permits required to keep live P.ramorum cultures.
– Cultures from infected material do not always grow on agar media.
– May provide false negative results.

Jump to Other SOD Diagnostic Methods:
Immunostrips – Culturing – EIA Analysis – PCR Analysis

The UC Berkeley Forest Pathology and Mycology Laboratory does not provide a SOD testing service. For information on SOD testing please visit www.suddenoakdeath.org
This activity possible thanks to funding from:
USDA Forest Service, State and Private Forestry
The Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation
Agdia, Inc. http://www.agdia.com

Disclaimer: Mention of any company, trade name, or commercial product does not constitute endorsement by the University of California or recommendation for use.
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