Gaming for tree health
Plant health experts plan to enlist the help of computer gamers to tackle new tree pests and diseases. Nicola Spence, Chief Plant Health Officer at DEFRA, revealed the surprising tactic as she gave the 2018 John Macleod Annual Lecture for the RHS in November 2018. DEFRA is part-funding a PhD at Stirling University, which is researching the potential of computer games to mobilise people in the fight against new pests and diseases. Some of the tree-health threats DEFRA is anxious to keep out of the UK include Asian longhorn beetle, emerald ash borer and Xylella fastidiosa. Watch the lecture online at bit.ly/ macleod-annual-lecture