Xylella Fastidiosa - a Threat to the U.K.
Horticulture Industry
What is the threat?
Xylella fastidiosa is one of the
most harmful bacterial plant
diseases in the world. It can
cause severe losses in a wide
range of hosts and there would
be a massive impact on the
plant trade across all business
sectors in the event of an
OUTBREAK in the UK.
An OUTBREAK of this disease,
where several different plants
are infected, will trigger imme-
diate stock destruction within
100 metres and a movement
ban of host plants within a
10-kilometre radius for up to
five years. This will dramati-
cally and immediately affect
most plant selling operations,
as well as impacting on all
businesses dealing in plants
within the 10km zone. Gardens
could also be affected.
46 Landscape & Urban Design
What should businesses
do to stop it coming into
the UK?
Only buy potential host plants
from trusted plant passported
suppliers who know where
their plants come from. We
strongly recommend that
potential host plants are not
sourced from or near regions
where there have been find-
ings of Xylella fastidiosa.
The list of host plants is grow-
ing and includes many popular
garden and landscape plants,
such as lavender, rosemary,
oak and many others.
What happens if the dis-
ease is found in the UK?
The full emergency measures
imposed at EU level are only
triggered when the disease
has spread and there is an
OUTBREAK.
The full emergency measures
are not triggered if the disease
is found on a single plant or
within a batch of plants and
is diagnosed and contained
before it spreads. This is
known as an INTERCEPTION.
Stock will still be destroyed
in this circumstance but the
movement ban is very unlikely
to come in force.
Several wholesale nurseries
have signed up to plant sourc-
ing statements such as the one
below:
“The following nurseries
have taken the decision NOT
to knowingly purchase any
host plants originating from
regions where the disease
Xylella is known to exist. The
decision has been taken after
detailed consideration as to
the potential catastrophic
impact the introduction of the
disease could have to the UK
environment, coupled with the
ever increasing number of host
plant genera of this disease.
This is in line with DEFRA's
good practice recommenda-
tions.”
The Horticultural Trades
Association (HTA) is the trade
association for the UK garden
industry. It helps its members
to flourish by representing,
promoting and developing the
garden industry through their
key values; collaboration, inno-
vation, influence and integrity.
Its key roles include: provision
of advice-based services such
as business improvement
schemes, briefings and help-
lines; training, conferences and
events for members; market
information and research; pro-
motions such as the National
Garden Gift Voucher scheme;
and working closely with
government and the media to
influence policy and projects.