Myrtle Rust Reporter

Myrtle rust is a serious biosecurity threat to NZ. Your help is needed to protect our natural and productive environments. As citizen scientists one way to help is by mapping potential host plants and then monitoring them periodically for signs of the disease.

This project is linked to the Myrtle Rust Reporter phone app (shortly available for iPhone or Android) that can be used for observing common host plants that may be susceptible to myrtle rust and getting assistance from others to confirm your identifications. The app can then be used for reporting potential infestations of myrtle rust that should then be followed up with the Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI).

We would like you to find a dozen plants in your neighbourhood that are potential hosts of myrtle rust. You can map them using the app. We have chosen 6 of the most common host plant species and have fact sheets on each to assist you in their identification. If you are unsure of a plant you can submit an observation of it and the NatureWatchNZ community will help you identify it. There are many plants from the myrtle family and if you want to choose a different myrtle species just click on the ‘record a different myrtle’ button.

Once you have located these plants keep an eye on them. They are the sentinels in your neighbourhood. If you see something suspicious that might be myrtle rust then submit your observation of the symptoms via the app (ideally take a photo of the upper surface of the leaf and ensure you include at least one entire leaf so that the identity of the host species can be confirmed) and ring MPI immediately on 0800 80 99 66 to discuss your observation.

Sometimes it is hard to get a decent photo of small things but you can take useful photos with smart phones through a magnifying glass or hand lens, if you have one. There are also affordable clip-on macro lenses you can buy for smart phones if you're keen. less ↑