CDFA Pest Prevention Plant Regulation Practice Exam

An uncertified shipment of which of the following would be refused entry under the ozonium root rot quarantine?

1. A. nursery stock free from roots and soil

2. B. aquatic plants

3. C. mangels and sugar beets contaminated with clod of moist soil

4. D. orchid plants growing in ormunda fibre

The correct answer is: C. mangels and sugar beets contaminated with clod of moist soil

The correct choice involves mangels and sugar beets that are contaminated with clods of moist soil, which directly relates to the quarantine measures established to control ozonium root rot. This disease can spread through soil contaminated with the pathogen, which thrives in the soil surrounding the roots of plants. When shipments contain plants that are associated with soil clods, especially if they are moist, this poses a significant risk because the pathogen responsible for ozonium root rot can survive in that environment. Thus, any shipment that brings these items into an area without appropriate certifications indicating they are free from this pathogen would be refused entry to prevent the spread of the disease. In contrast, other options present conditions where the risks are significantly lower or non-existent. For instance, nursery stock free from roots and soil would not introduce the pathogen because it lacks the medium that supports its survival. Aquatic plants generally do not harbor this specific soil-borne pathogen, and orchid plants growing in ormunda fibre are also not considered risky since the fibre is not a suitable carrier for the pathogen related to root rot.