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waterboy 2.0

Myrtle Rust found in Tasmania

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Myrtle rust plant disease spreads in Tasmania, control centre set up

Updated

yesterday at 9:41pm

Four new cases of myrtle rust have been identified in gardens in Tasmania's north-west.

A control centre has been set up to stem the spread of the plant disease which was found in Burnie for the first time a week ago.

The wind-borne fungal disease has wreaked damage in other states.

Biosecurity Tasmania's Andrew Bishop said the outbreak called for an emergency response.

"We've now entered a period this week where we've established an incident control centre down in the south and we'll be doing statewide surveys," he said.

What is myrtle rust?
  • Fungus affecting trees and shrubs belonging to Myrtaceae family
  • Produces distinctive bright yellow or bright orange powdery spores
  • Affects native like bottle brush and eucalypts, infecting their leaves
  • Untreated it can deform leaves, defoliate plants, stunt growth and kill plants

On mainland Australia, forests, parklands and nurseries have been badly affected by the disease and the outbreak in Tasmania has the honey industry nervous.

"We thought we were protected here in this sub-tropical cold climate that we have in Tasmania but no we've got it here so its very big concern for us," honey producer Lindsay Bourke said.

But Forestry Tasmania's Tim Wardlaw said the state's climate may help stem any damage.

"The damage if it does become established here will be not as severe as we're seeing, particularly in the tropical and sub-tropical areas of Australia where it's causing widespread damage in native forests there," he said.

"The conditions here are much less suited to it than they are in the northern parts of Australia."

The telltale sign is bright yellow rust markings on leaves.

Anyone with information on affected plants can call Biosecurity Tasmania's hotline on 6165 3785.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-02-23/myrtle-rust-control-centre-set-up-as-plant-disease-spreads/6223776

* (...we've established an incident control centre down in the south...)....um....its in the NW matey

Edited by waterboy

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