Key facts about Kauri and PA
The science on PA is clear; this pathogen poses a serious threat to Kauri.
Kauri (Agathis australis) are a taonga (treasure) of Aotearoa New Zealand and are under threat by Phytophthora agathidicida (PA), a soil-borne pathogen. The PA pathogen infects Kauri trees through their roots and restricts the ability of the plant to transport water and nutrients between the roots and the leaves. This causes the condition known as kauri dieback disease, which eventually starves and kills the Kauri.
The science on PA is clear; this pathogen poses a serious threat to Kauri.
Our scientific understanding of its impacts and how it spreads has advanced significantly since the pathogen was first found on Aotea in 1972 and its broader impacts were recognised more widely in 2006.
The survival of Kauri depends on all of us taking action to stop the PA pathogen from spreading.