Cooperative Agreement AP26PPQFO000C306

AWARD PURPOSE: THE PURPOSE OF THIS AGREEMENT IS TO PROVIDE MONITORING AND SURVEY ACTIVITIES TO PREVENT THE SPREAD OF PLANT PESTS THAT CAN BE USED FOR REGULATORY AND PEST MANAGEMENT PURPOSES. ACTIVITIES TO BE PERFORMED: THE SURVEY IN TEXAS IS A PART OF A COLLABORATIVE MULTI-STATE SURVEY THAT AIMS TO ASSESS THE DISTRIBUTION AND HOST RANGE OF VASCULAR STREAK DIEBACK ACROSS STATES, INCLUDING TENNESSEE, ALABAMA, KENTUCKY, MARYLAND, MISSOURI, NORTH CAROLINA, SOUTH CAROLINA, AND VIRGINIA. THE SURVEY IN TEXAS WILL FOCUS ON NURSERIES ENGAGED IN INTERSTATE SHIPPING AND INVOLVED IN THE PRODUCTION OF A WIDE VARIETY OF WOODY ORNAMENTALS WITHIN THEIR FACILITIES AND IN URBANIZED LANDSCAPES AND NATURAL AREAS WHICH MAY BE CHARACTERIZED BY POTENTIAL HIGH POPULATIONS/CONCENTRATIONS OF SUSCEPTIBLE PLANT SPECIES. SURVEY LOCATIONS WILL BE PRIORITIZED BY PLANT MATERIALS THAT MAY HAVE BEEN IMPORTED OR SOURCED FROM A STATE WHERE VASCULAR STREAK DIEBACK HAS BEEN DETECTED AND IN AREAS WHERE HIGHLY SUSCEPTIBLE PLANTS ARE PLANTED. WE AIM TO CONTRIBUTE OUR FINDINGS IN THIS COLLABORATIVE MULTI-STATE SURVEY TO GAIN BETTER INFORMATION THAT WILL BE INVALUABLE IN DELINEATING THE GEOGRAPHICAL DISTRIBUTION OF VASCULAR STREAK DIEBACK ACROSS THE PARTICIPATING STATES. THE INSIGHTS GAINED WILL CONTRIBUTE TO SAFEGUARDING THE NURSERY PLANT TRADE WHILE MINIMIZING ECONOMIC LOSSES ASSOCIATED WITH VASCULAR STREAK DIEBACK, ULTIMATELY ENHANCING THE RESILIENCE OF THE HORTICULTURAL INDUSTRY. DELIVERABLES AND EXPECTED OUTCOMES THIS WILL BE THE FIRST YEAR THAT TEXAS WILL BE INCLUDED IN THE ONGOING VASCULAR STREAK DIEBACK SURVEY TO DETERMINE THE DISTRIBUTION AND HOST RANGE OF RHIZOCTONIA THEOBROMAE/ CERATOBASIDIUM THEOBROMAE/ CERATOBASIDIUM SP IMPACT OF THE MISSION, IF NOT DONE: WITHOUT THE VASCULAR STREAK DIEBACK SURVEY RESULTS, PLANT PROTECTION QUARANTINE CANNOT PROVIDE EFFECTIVE, TIMELY EDUCATION, SAMPLING GUIDANCE, DETECTION TOOLS, OR MANAGEMENT RECOMMENDATIONS TO GROWERS, NURSERIES, AND STATE PARTNERS. THE LACK OF A COSTEFFECTIVE, STANDARDIZED SURVEY MODEL WOULD ULTIMATELY REDUCE SITUATIONAL AWARENESS, DELAY RESPONSE ACTIONS, AND HINDER PLANT PROTECTION QUARANTINE'S ABILITY TO MAINTAIN SAFE TRADE, PREVENT ECONOMIC LOSS, AND SAFEGUARD PLANT HEALTH NATIONWIDE. SUBRECIPIENT ACTIVITIES, IF KNOWN OR SPECIFIED AT THE TIME OF AWARD:N/A;