Urban green spaces as emerging hotspots for Phytophthora diversity

This article in Frontiers journal compiles records of Phytophthora–host associations from 16 peer-reviewed studies (2005–2025) across botanical gardens, parks, street trees, and managed urban landscapes. It recognises urban green spaces as important and often overlooked hubs for plant pest and pathogen establishment, persistence, and spread. It argues that cities can act both as entry points and amplification hubs for Phytophthora and if approached strategically, cities could become frontline systems for early detection, innovation, and coordinated response, shifting the role of urban environments from passive recipients of plant disease to active contributors in global plant health protection.

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