Pests, Diseases and Invasives: running a clean garden

Pests, Diseases and Invasives: running a clean garden

Date posted: 22 March 2010 - Permalink / Shortlink

and AGM, University of Sheffield, 22–24 March 2010
Proceedings includes report from PlantNetwork Newsletter No. 40 September 2010

Report

The PlantNetwork spring conference addressed current and potential problems for gardens from plant pests and diseases, as well as non-native invasive plants. The first day was on threats, responsibility, risk and advice. We were grateful for the advice of David Slawson and his colleagues at the Food and Environment Research Agency for talks on new pest threats to plants in the UK, new fungal diseases and the EU Plant Health Directive. David Slawson described how to protect gardens from pests and diseases, arising from his work with the National Trust on measures to minimise risks. There were talks on work and advice by the Forestry Commission Plant Health Service, Forest Research Diagnostic and Advisory Service, and the RHS Advisory Service. Niall Moore explained the policy of the GB Non-native Species Secretariat in relation to invasive plants; and Matthew Jebb alerted delegates to potentially invasive plants in European botanic gardens (see the spreadsheet on the PlantNetwork website) and our responsibility to be informed and vigilant.

Talks on the response by gardens included pests and diseases encountered at gardens of the National Trust, National Trust for Scotland, the Eden Project, Ness Botanic Gardens, Cambridge University Botanic Garden, Bedgebury Pinetum and the Royal Botanic Gardens at Kew and Edinburgh. There was much discussion on best-practice and basic hygiene and quarantine procedures, particularly in relation to Phytophthora ramorum/kernoviae; minimising risk, bringing plants into gardens and the dangers associated with importing large mature specimens into the UK; and training and raising awareness of staff and visitors to gardens. All gardens need to establish a set of common principles and actions not only to minimise the risks, but also to define a collective responsibility.

Ian Turner, Curator, led a tour of Sheffield Botanical Gardens, with particular reference to pests and diseases. A few days later, Chris Malumphy, Entomologist at the Food and Environment Research Agency, sent a report (posted on our website) on 20 invertebrate pests found on plants in the Pavilions. PlantNetwork Trustees and the Joint Behaviour Change and Biosecurity Working Group (Gardens and Parks) held a follow-up meeting to the conference on 25 March.

Presentations

Welcome and introduction

Matthew Jebb, PlantNetwork Chairman

New pest threats to plants

Chris Malumphy, Food and Environment Research Agency

New and emerging invasive fungal diseases

Charles Lane, Food and Environment Research Agency

The EU Plant Health Directive

Martin Ward, Food and Environment Research Agency

Eradication of plant pathogens during composting of green wastes

Ralph Noble, Warwick HRI

Invasive non-native species and policy

Niall Moore, GB Non-native Species Secretariat

Potentially invasive plants in European botanic gardens

Matthew Jebb, European Consortium of Botanic Gardens

Forestry Commission Plant Health Service: what we do and what we don't do

Dave Tracy, Forestry Commission

Forest Research Diagnostic and Advisory Service

David Rose Forest Research, Alice Holt

RHS Advisory Service - identification and monitoring of garden pests and diseases

Andrew Halstead, Royal Horticultural Society

Visit to Sheffield Botanical Gardens Tour with Ian Turner, Curator, with reference to pests, diseases and invasive plants

Includes Chris Malumphy's report on Arthropods found on plants growing in the pavilions at Sheffield Botanical Gardens on the 23rd March 2010

Why Phytophthora made us stop and think

Ian Wright, National Trust

Gardens of the National Trust for Scotland

Ann Steele, National Trust for Scotland

Some recent problems encountered at Eden

Tim Pettitt & Katie Treseder, Eden Project

Ness Botanic Gardens - Fallopia collection

Paul Cook, Ness Botanic Gardens

Changing collections - the potential impact of pests and diseases

Tim Upson, Cambridge University Botanic Garden

Pests on conifers

Chris Reynolds, Bedgebury Pinetum

4 gardens of the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh

Louise Galloway, Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh

Where on earth did THAT come from?

Sara Redstone, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew

Changing behaviour: what gardens can do - How to protect your gardens from pests and diseases

David Slawson, Food and Environment Research Agency

Discussion on codes of practice and best-practice protocols for gardens

Bringing plants into gardens, quarantine, basic hygiene, plant husbandry, education and awareness for staff and visitors, training and more.

Invasives information exchange

A page for exchanging Advice and Experience in dealing with Pests, Diseases and Invasive Plants

Summary

REDUCE the risks
- KNOW your source nurseries. Are they run in a clean and efficient manner? Do they import from the continent? Do they have a quarantine arrangement?
- Set up a quarantine procedure for your garden

VIGILANCE – Train your staff to be vigilant, take an interest in unhealthy plants, early detection is key

BEHAVIOUR and TRAINING – We need to ensure colleges and other training providers give advice on good husbandry and a back to basics approach with running a clean garden

We need to keep information SIMPLE and minimise bureaucracy, but also provide detailed when it is needed Equip yourself with identification guides and skills

PlantNetwork will examine the need for Training Deays to cover, Propagation (reducing plant movements); Phytophthora (Recognising, managing); Identifying pests and diseases; Composting etc.

The market in imported semi-mature trees has been the cause of a number of significant (and potentially expensive) outbreaks, amongst them Oak Processionary Moth and Citrus Longhorn beetle. Solutions might include:
- Increase local sources of semi-mature trees (and all plants)
- Discourage the anxiety for quick fix mentality of developers/managers – Some news articles are needed in trade magazines and the like