Phytophthora inundata from native vegetation in Western Australia

Phytophthora inundata was found associated with a dead Xanthorrhoea preissii in Eucalyptus marginata (jarrah) forest in the south-west of Western Australia in January 2005. The isolate was sterile in pure culture and when paired with tester isolates of A1 and A2 mating types of other Phytophthora species. Mature sporangia were produced in 4 hours and discharged zoospores very soon after maturation. Some hyphal swellings were observed. Another isolate of P. inundata was isolated in 2005 from soil from Dandaragan on the sandplains north of Perth. Phytophthora isolates collected from dying native vegetation near the South Coast in 1986 and near Mount Barker in 1997 were also shown to be P. inundata. This is the first record of P. inundata from Australian natural ecosystems