Summary

Quambalaria shoot blight is the major disease affecting spotted gum (Corymbia spp.) in tropical and subtropical Australia. It causes shoot blight and tip death, resulting in loss of growth, apical dominance, affecting tree form, and tree death in severe cases. It is a major obstacle to profitable plantation growth with spotted gum in this region. This paper reports on an extensive survey of the species of Quambalaria that cause disease in Australia. It identifies and describes the various symptoms and damage of QSB on various hosts, including the main plantation species in subtropical and tropical eastern Australia. It identified a new species of Quambalaria for Australia (Quambalaria eucalypti), as well as new host and symptom records for the most common species, Quambalaria pitereka. Many of the collections were from NSW, collected during regular forest health surveys by NSW DPI staff.