The Myrtle Rust (Uredo rangelii) disease appears well and truely here in Australia… one wonders what can can done – or if anything can be done now at this late stage.
With so many species affected IN THE WILD and THE LANDSCAPE is there any benefit for the industry to be imposed by DPI departments with permits and limiting transportation of stock. If the desease is established here in the wild and in the landscape, then the industry can deal with it, just like any other problem – fungicides as part of normal business practice.
Within the landscape, grounds management businesses and home gardeners should be able to deal with this pest the same way they deal with other fungal infections – use of an appropriate fungicide.
Of shocking news is that Biosecurity Qld is going into some garden centres and assessing all plants in the MYRTACEAE family as they are regarded as ‘risk plants’ – http://www.dpi.qld.gov.au/documents/Biosecurity_GeneralPlantHealthPestsDiseaseAndWeeds/Myrtaceae-genera.pdf. All the information and links from the QLD Myrtle Rust website can be seen here… http://www.dpi.qld.gov.au/4790_19789.htm. Imagine a garden centre with no lillypillies, no callistemon, etc. Imagine if production nurseries were instructed to STOP growing them or selling!
Yes stock is being removed from shelves… but is this now going overboard with a disease? Perhaps it is, perhaps not. Early detection and control is known to successfully eradicate potentially dangerous infestions. One can only hope this is not a weak attempt in face of defeat.
As for NSW, details about this Myrtle Rust can be found here…
- http://www.dpi.nsw.gov.au/biosecurity/plant/myrtle-rust
- http://www.dpi.nsw.gov.au/biosecurity/plant/myrtle-rust/update.
Of shocking news is a list of plants that has been placed on their site that CAN BE infected … yes that’s right, CAN BE… not IS infected. So much for innocent until proven guilty (by association in the Myrtaceae family). Link is here… http://www.dpi.nsw.gov.au/biosecurity/plant/myrtle-rust/hosts
Quarantine and movement guidelines have been set up…
- NSW http://www.dpi.nsw.gov.au/biosecurity/plant/myrtle-rust/movement
- QLD http://www2.dpi.qld.gov.au/health/13759.html
With the humid climatic conditions gripping QLD and NSW presently, this diseases will only become more prevalent.
Given that it was originally limited to a small area in NSW, how and why did it now become so wide spread?
So what’s the end result to the industry… stay tuned. Will this be the demise of our beloved Myrtaceae, will quarantine work or will nature run supreme and the fungus take hold in this nation?
{ 5 comments… read them below or add one }
The ignorant attitude of the author appears typical of the commercial nursery industry. The early testing of some commercial species of the Myrtaceae family found that 24 0r 29 were susceptible to the disease. This suggests that ALL Myrtaceae should be regarded as “risk plants”. This also indicates that many of the ornamental species that the nursery industry currently relies on will be effected. I would doubt that many of these will be viable to produce in the future as the cost of producing a fit for sale plant will be too high. The removal of stock from shelves is hardly going overboard as it may at least buy some time in learning how to deal with this potentially devastating pathogen. A more informed range of comments in future would be appreciated.
This is why Horti.com.au is here for.. to make comments. If everyone shared the same opinion, then nothing would be done to act on any matter.
Readers may agree or disagree, this then creates debate and dialogue.
Great to see you commenting Peter – it is appreciated.. hopefully will generate more.
However I am dissappointed you classed the ‘author’ as a/ ‘ignorant’ and b/ part of the production nursery sector.
It is usually best to be cautious with what one says on the internet, especially about other people, however you are totally correct that early detection of at risk plants can be a valuable indicator of what the industry needs to be carefully watching.
Cheers
There are so many transport vehicles and people moving between production and retail sites the reality is it’s here, have we heard any mangement strategies for industry?
The reality is that Myrtle rust is probably here to stay and all of the larger wholesale nurseries have management systems in place to control the possible outbreak in their nurseries. This includes limiting acess, disinfestation of vehicles, 2 weekly spray programs etc as per the nursery industry management plan. Will there be some plants that will prove uneconomic to grow ?.yes Will Myrtaceae species no longer be grown ?..I don’t think so. Trucking companies in the industry have implemented management strategies as well. A sensible approach will be do all possible to reduce the spread and wait until we have more information on the spread and control of this diseses. My worry is not for the commercial industry who have the strong support and information base of the Nursery and Garden Industry behind them but for the multitude of unregistered non member nurseries who [to my own knowledge] were blissfully unaware of Myrtle Rust.
My husband and I own a property in the Hunter Valley which is made up primarily of temperate rainforest, adjoins state forest, and is in close proximity to a national park. I am very perturbed to have found a serious outbreak of myrtle rust in several endemic species including rhodamnia rubescens. I tried to contact the DPI via the phone numbers provided only to be told that it is now widespread throughout coastal NSW and that they are not interested in hearing of other outbreaks unless they are in species that are not on the existing host list or if they are found outside the existing “red zone”. I feel powerless to deal with the problem considering our extensively forested area. I am seriously concerned that our forests are going to be dramatically impacted by this disease. I am feeling frustrated that authorities do not encourage more input from the public.
I have made an interesting finding in that european bees seem to be keenly attracted to the myrtle rust fungus as if they are feeding on it or collecting pollen from it. They appear to be attracted to the badly infected plants as if they were in full bloom. Could this be the reason that this fungus has spread so dramatically over such a large area?
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