Temperature and Humidity Patterns for SOD Risk Assessment in Coastal, Piedmont and Mountains of Georgia and South Carolina

Pauline Spaine and William J. Otrosina

USDA Forest Service Southern Research Station

There are two Sudden Oak Death (SOD) risk maps available for Georgia and South Carolina.  The potential SOD host list has been rapidly expanding in areas where optimal temperature and humidity may exist for suitable periods for SOD infection outside the areas indicted on the risk map.  We monitored Ericaceous habitat areas in Georgia and South Carolina for temperature, dew point and humidity ranges throughout the year. Data loggers in these locations recorded on an hourly basis.  In lower elevations, two locations had a greater than 50 percent correlation with temperature risk parameters for SOD.   In two higher elevation locations there was greater than 50 percent agreement for temperature risk parameters for two months at one location and for 8 months at another. One high elevation site had temperatures that fell within criteria from February through November.  The other site met criteria only during May and October. This data suggests risk may be more wide spread in various microclimates than current risk maps indicate.

corresponding author:

Pauline Spaine
Research Eco-Plant Pathologist
USDA Forest Service
320 Green Street
Athens, Georgia  30602
706-559-4278
pspaine@fs.fed.us