Plant disease ‘threat’ to UK gin industry

An invasive plant disease is posing a threat to the UK’S gin industry, according to new research.

The Phytophthora austrocedri pathogen has been found to be spreading through juniper trees in Scotland, which produces 70% of the spirit across the four nations.

Experts at the Plant Health Centre, including Professor Fiona Burnett from Scotland’s Rural College, warn other spirits such as whisky could also be hit by disease.

Prof Burnett said: “Plant Health Week is a chance to flag that everyone can play their part in protecting Scotland’s plant health assets.

“Whisky is equally at risk to gin through barley diseases which slash crop yields.”

The pathogen has entered Britain through the plant trade and may have got into juniper woodlands through well-intentioned planting schemes.

It lives in the soil and spreads in both soil and water, infecting juniper roots and killing large numbers of trees, especially on wet sites.