New Xylella elearning module available from HTA

Xylella Fastiodosa can cause severe losses in a wide range of hosts. There would be a massive impact on the plant trade across all business sectors in the event of an outbreak in the UK and Ireland.

The HTA has launched an elearning module for garden centre retailers and growers on the topic of Xylella Fastiodosa in order for them to understand the dangers of the disease and learn how to combat it.

Horticulture

Read More: HTA Plant disease Xylella fastidiosa

11 October 2017

The HTA has launched an e-learning module on Xylella fastidiosa providing plantarea and garden retail staff with the latest information about this plant disease that presents a huge threat to the industry.

The module, which is available to all free of charge, is one of the actions to come from the emergency Xylella meeting held at the HTA offices at which garden retailers requested a resource which could be easily shared amongst staff in order to raise awareness about the plant disease.

The 8-minute-long module can be accessed here: www.hta.org.uk/xylella

Whilst aimed at plantarea and garden retail staff the information will also be relevant for plant buyers and business owners, as well as the wider industry. The e-learning module includes information about:

Host species
Five-point plan
Plant Passporting

Further sources of information

Many of those who attended the meeting also took part in the Xylella panel session at HTA Garden Futures last week, where, Xylella was described as ‘the single biggest threat to the garden industry in 32 years’.

Businesses including Aylett Nurseries, Notcutts Garden Centres, Klondyke Group, Hillview Group and Johnsons of Whixley spoke about the preventative actions and responsibility they are taking.

Panellist Boyd Douglas-Davies, CEO of Hillview Garden Centres said: “We need to act now as individual companies and take responsibility for our own actions. Resources such as this video will help to spread the word about Xylella and I encourage all to share with their staff.”

Xylella Fastiodosa 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 and Ireland.

An outbreak of this disease, where several different plants are infected, will trigger immediate stock destruction within 100 metres and a movement ban of host plants within a 10-kilometre radius for up to five years.

This will dramatically 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.

Growtrade has written extensively about Xylella Fastiodosa before; going into detail on what it is and how to prevent it. You can read that article here.

Read More: HTA Plant disease Xylella fastidiosa