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Northland residents urged to inspect native plants for myrtle rust

Author
Newstalk ZB Staff,
Publish Date
Sat, 6 May 2017, 6:50AM
(Photo / Getty)
(Photo / Getty)

Northland residents urged to inspect native plants for myrtle rust

Author
Newstalk ZB Staff,
Publish Date
Sat, 6 May 2017, 6:50AM

Northland residents are being asked to remain vigilant for a disease that could wreak havoc on the local ecosystem.

The destructive disease Myrtle rust has been found on pohutukawa seedlings at a Kerikeri nursery in Northland.

Myrtle rust, which appears as bright yellow or orange powdery patches on leaves of myrtle plants, poses a serious threat to some of our most cherished plant species, including pohutukawa, manuka, feijoa, and rata. Severe infections can kill plants.

The nursery has been sprayed with fungicide and nothing is allowed in or out of it.

Ministry for Primary Industries spokesman Geoff Gwyn says people who have recently bought plants from any nursery should check them, especially in the Kerikeri area.

If anything untoward is found, Gwyn says it's best to take a photo, don't touch the plant, and call 0800 80 99 66.

Gwyn relates that MPI staff are trying to trace which plants have been sold and to whom, "to ensure we hopefully go to people's places prior to them ringing us."

The Project Crimson Trust has spent decades planting hundreds of thousands of pohutukawa and rata trees, helping turn around the health of the species.

One of its trustees, 'bug man' Ruud Kleinpaste, told Larry Williams last night myrtle rust is incredibly hard to contain and could cause havoc in the environment.

"There are so many native plants that could be severely affected that it throws the whole ecological system in turmoil," Kleinpaste warned.

LISTEN: Rust invasion could 'throw ecology into turmoil'

 

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