Detection of Peronospora somniferi in Tasmania and Victoria

Publication Date

Mon, 13 Jul 2015, 01:50

Last Updated

June 23, 2023, 5:32 a.m.

Report Number

AUS-68/2

Country

Australia

Pest Id

Peronospora somniferi - (PEROSM)

Report Status

Final

Hosts

Papaver somniferum (Alkaloid poppy)

Pest Status (old values from ISPM 8 -1998 )

• Present: but managed

Pest Status (ISPM 8 - 2021)

• Present: not widely distributed and not under official control

Geographical Distribution

Tasmania and Victoria

Summary

Until relatively recently, downy mildew on all Papaver species were assumed to be the single species, Peronospora arborescens. With the advent of molecular taxonomy, the species has been revisited and a recent paper by Voglmayr et al. (2014) describes two species infecting Papaver somniferum (Peronospora meconopsidis and P. somniferi).

Peronospora somniferi causes discoloured blotches on the upper leaf surface (pale green to purple brown) with grey-purple mould-like growth on the lower surface of Papaver somniferum leaves, corresponding to the blotches on the upper surface. Severely affected leaves are shrivelled and brown, and the plants are stunted.

Danger

Peronospora somniferi has been found in Tasmania and Victoria. There have been no detections of Peronospora somniferi anywhere else in Australia. In 2014, five to ten percent of the poppy crops in Tasmania had been affected. Australia is still well placed to supply the required volume of alkaloid poppies for the production of therapeutic and medicinal products.

Contact for info

Australian Chief Plant Protection Officer Australian Government Department of Agriculture GPO Box 858 Canberra ACT 2601 [email protected]

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