Prince concerned about ‘killer disease’
Prince Charles has warned that millions of Britain’s trees could soon be ravaged by one of the world’s most deadly plant diseases, Xylella fastidiosa, a bacterial pathogen spread by insects.
He issued the ‘call to arms’ at a recent Highgrove summit, where a selection of the UK’s horticultural, forestry and industry experts and key players convened to find ways to tackle the menace. Xylella, which causes dieback and scorching of foliage and ultimately death of the plant, can kill more than 350 species. The event, chaired by Alan Titchmarsh, with a speech by Environment Secretary Michael Gove, was sponsored by the RHS, the National Trust, the Royal Botanic Gardens Kew, Woodland Heritage and the Duchy of Cornwall. The Prince was ‘desperately concerned we find a way to control this onslaught of disease’. Mr Gove likened failure to act to ‘sawing off the branch on which we sit’.
Heightened checking and import controls are being implemented, with seven new plants, including walnut, broom, scorpion-vetch Coronilla glauca and Morello cherry now on the 300-plus hit list.