In article ,
says...
The message
from "Bob Hobden" contains these words:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/7920199.stm

Can they achieve anything useful re these two diseases?

Not in my view, but that won't stop them trying , at huge and
compulsory expense to land owners.
Phytophthora kernoviae has been present in west Scotland for some time
and there is an outbreak at a nearby National Trust
garden and woodland estate, which was ordered to fell, burn, destroy
every infected plant . ( there are scores of them rhododendron, drymys,
oak, and some are huge, including a
champion tree). Initially, the order was also to dig out every root.
That simply isn't possible on the terrain and the ground is are now
disinfected instead. A specialist team was hired for this work
and after over a year of fulltime effort, the disease is still
spreading. There is extreme despondency because the disease had been
found
in wild blaeberry plants. The fear is, it could affect native heather
with devastating ecological effect on Scottish wildlife. Large areas of
woodland have been closed off to public access to prevent spread on
walkers and dogs feet, though deer badgers squirrels and birds are
still merrily tramping and digging.

IMHO, the disease has almost certainly been here for many years
undetected, control measures haven't worked and won't. because of the
nature of spread (rain, wind,. feet) and long list of susceptible
species. . Maybe it will harmlessly mutate, and disappear like Dutch
elm disease did.

About two weeks ago, Scottish Govt officials arrived in my garden
unannounced to search for Phytophthora kernoviae. They are examining
every private garden within 3 km of the known outbreak, to determine the
spread.
I asked what would happen if it was found, and was told "procedures
will be put in place". :-( Back in the Dutch elm disease outbreak in
the 70's in England , a local council slapped a destruction order on 5
elm trees in our garden.. It cost us a great deal of money and there
were no grants. Had we not complied, the council would have done the
work and charged us for it.

The good news is, the examiner found no signs in my garden this
time. And they won't in future, either.

for host plants see
http://www.eppo.org/QUARANTINE/Alert...ngi/PHYTKE.htm

for symptoms see http://www.defra.gov.uk/planth/pkernovii3.htm
Keeping a good air circulation seems to keep it in check but all the
cornish heath lands now have it and every single water course in the
county so most of the effort down here is in reducing the understory and
lifting the tree skirts to allow light and air in, that seems to be
working and spread in some gardens has been halted, DEFRA have also been
persuded to leave some infected trees after treatment and see what
happens. There is a program of propagating the rare and historic garden
plants by micro propagation to clean out the infecting so as to be able
to replant after but many of the plants being effected are in truth
geriatric and should have been replaced 50 years ago.
Trouble is with such small staffs of people there is a limit to what can
be acheived
--
Charlie Pridham, Gardening in Cornwall
www.roselandhouse.co.uk
Holders of national collections of Clematis viticella cultivars and
Lapageria rosea