Status of Boxwood Blight in Oregon

Part of the 2017 Oregon Master Gardeners Advanced Training series. Boxwood blight continues to be a problem in more landscapes and nurseries in the PNW. Learn about where this fungal disease has moved to, how to recognize it from other disease problems and run a model to determine when it might show up. Master Gardeners are our first responders to help limit the impact of this threat to our boxwood plantings.

Presented by: Dr. Jay Pscheidt and Cassie Bouska

Jay W. Pscheidt received his Ph.D. in Plant Pathology from the University of Wisconsin-Madison in 1985. Since 1988 he has been a professor at Oregon State University as an Extension Plant Pathology Specialist. His principal duties are to lead a statewide extension program related to the diagnosis and management of diseases of all fruit, nut, and ornamental/nursery crops. He is also co-editor of regional publication The Pacific Northwest Plant Disease Management Handbook.

Cassie Bouska is an Assistant Professor (Practice) at Oregon State University since 2014. She serves as the Agriculture Extension Faculty for Coos and Curry counties where she works with commercial horticulture, home horticulture, livestock and dairy, and small farm producers.    

Resource links:

OSU Extension Publication on Boxwood Blight: https://catalog.extension.oregonstate.edu/em9141

IPPC Models: http://uspest.org/risk/models

Oregon Department of Ag: Nursery Cleanliness program details: http://www.oregon.gov/ODA/programs/NurseryChristmasTree/Pages/BoxwoodBlight.aspx

 PNW Disease Management Handbook link: https://pnwhandbooks.org/plantdisease/host-disease/boxwood-buxus-spp-box-blight

Facebook page for the PNW Disease Handbook: https://www.facebook.com/PNW-Plant-Disease-Management-124973520901136/

Photo credit: Sandra Jensen, Cornell University, Bugwood.org

*A recording of the webinar will be made available at a later date.  

https://youtu.be/3cBQfZNPxQU