PROGRESS REPORT: WORKING GROUP ON 



INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION IN 



FOREST DISEASE RESEARCH 



Organization and Objectives 



J. R. Hansbrough, Chairman 



Director, Division of Forest Disease Research, Forest Service, 

 UjS. Department of Agriculture, Washington 25, D.C., UjS.A. 



One of the topics considered at the 12th IUFRO Congress, Oxford, 

 1956, was the problem of the intercontinental spread of forest tree 

 diseases and the need for international cooperation to lessen their 

 threat and to reduce losses from those already introduced abroad. Ex- 

 amples were cited of the catastrophic losses in the past from introduced 

 forest pathogens such as Endothia parasitica (Murr.) P. J. & H. W. 

 And., Cronartium ribicola J. C. Fisch., and Ceratocystis ulmi (Buis.) 

 Moreau, respectively the causes of chestnut blight, white pine blister 

 rust, and the wilt disease of elm. There was complete agreement on the 

 need for increased international cooperation in forest disease research. 



Four measures were recommended for immediate attention: (1) 

 Literature reviews of the forest diseases of all continents, (2) studies 

 by pathologists of one continent of the forest diseases of other conti- 

 nents, (3) test plantings of all species in a genus to determine their 

 susceptibility to a specific disease (e.g., oak species susceptibility to oak 

 wilt) , and (4) test plantings of the most important tree species of each 

 continent on other continents to determine their susceptibility to native 

 diseases. 



In 1957 a working group in Section 24 was organized to carry out 

 these recommendations. Membership included representatives from 

 Asia (India and Japan), Europe (Austria, England, Italy, Nether- 

 lands, Norway, and Yugoslavia), and North America (Canada and the 

 United States). The objectives of this working group were to secure 

 more information on the forest tree diseases of all continents, to evalu- 

 ate their potential impact on important forest tree species of other 

 continents, and to develop and improve methods of preventing the 

 spread of diseases from one continent to another. 



It was agreed that initially the working group would concentrate 

 its activities primarily on the diseases of three genera — P%nus. Populus. 

 and Quercus — in the North Temperate Zone. Each member would 

 attempt to stimulate special studies of the diseases of these genera in 

 his country and adjacent countries and see that the results were pub- 

 lished. In addition, special efforts would be made by all to insure dis- 

 tribution of new information on important forest diseases to patholo- 

 gists and foresters in other countries and continents. 



We meet here today to review our accomplishments as individuals 

 and as a group. We have carried on research or stimulated others 

 to do so on forest disease problems in our respective areas. We have 



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