Myrtle rust found in Te Puke
14 June 2017
The Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) has confirmed the presence of the myrtle rust plant disease at a residential property in Te Puke.
A link to MPI’s media release is available here.
Myrtle rust is a fungal infection that can travel long distances in the wind and attacks plants of the Myrtaceae family. It doesn’t affect kiwifruit but could affect iconic New Zealand plants like pōhutukawa, kānuka, mānuka and rātā, as well as commercially-grown species such as eucalyptus, guava and feijoa. Although myrtle rust doesn’t affect kiwifruit vines this is an important and timely reminder for all growers to look out for symptoms on Myrtaceae trees and shrubs around your orchard and in gardens.
Look for:
- bright yellow powdery eruptions appearing on the underside of the leaf (young infection)
- bright yellow powdery eruptions on both sides of the leaf (mature infection)
- brown/grey rust pustules (older spores) which can appear on older lesions
- buckled or twisted leaves which may die off