British nurseries are almost ready with testing a new developed phytosanitary management system. That should help UK companies to keep for example Xylella outside the UK.
The system was set up by the Horticultural Trades Association, with support from the British ministry of Defra.
Last year testing started at Boningale Nurseries. After that, another ten companies joined in who, like Boningale, not only have their own production but also import trees and plants the European continent.
„The next step in the process is to carry out an audit”, says Tim Edwards of Boningale. Accredited companies will be allowed to use a certain logo. „But that is still in an early stage.”
Tree Health Resilience Strategy
Biosecurity is top of the agenda in the UK industry. Defra sees the system as one of the opportunities to protect UK trees better against harmful diseases and pests. Not only Xylella, but also oak procession moth, for example, and ash dieback.
Defra launched a Tree Health Resilience Strategy for the next five years, in which goals have been formulated to make all trees and plants in the UK more resilient to organisms.
Picture: Arno Engels
