Abstract
Feral pigs have been widely implicated in the spread of dieback disease, caused by Phytophthora cinnamomi, via the transport of infected soil material. P. cinnamomi is an important introduced plant pathogen with a wide host range which is widespread throughout much of Australia. This pathogen currently threatens many unique and diverse natural ecosystems throughout the south-west corner of Western Australia, both in areas where feral pigs are present and absent. The disruption of native ecosystems caused by the rooting and wallowing activities of feral pigs are believed to increase their susceptibility to dieback infections. As such, feral pigs may play an important role in the spread of P. cinnamomi as well as the re-introduction of new infections to previously exposed areas. This study aims to determine the role of feral pigs in the spread of Phytophthora dieback through the transport of infected soil as well as investigating the potential for disseminating the pathogen via passage of infected plant material through their gastrointestinal tract. A new detection technique, fluorescent in situ hybridisation (FISH) targeting conserved 16S rRNA allows for easier sample processing and visualisation of the pathogen in situ within root fragments