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Fungus-eating fungus: coming to a myrtle near you?

Reports on iNaturalist and from scientists heading into the field tell us that the 2022-23 myrtle rust 'season' is in full swing. This time around, those with good eyesight or a hand lens/magnifying glass could lend researchers an extra hand by looking out for a fungus that feeds on myrtle rust - a species in the Sphaerellopsis genus. This organism is hard to spot but has been seen on myrtle rust-infected ramarama (Lophomyrtus bullata), rōhutu (Lophomyrtus obcordata) and on one of the climbing rātās (Metrosideros diffusa) in and around Taranaki and the Kaimai-Mamaku ranges. Is it more widespread? Scientists want to know! For more information, including images and instructions on how to make a report, see the story about this discovery on the Beyond Myrtle Rust website ...more ↓

Posted on December 12, 2022 03:37 AM by reneejohansen reneejohansen | 0 comments | Leave a comment
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Your help is needed to monitor the spread of myrtle rust. This disease is a serious biosecurity threat. Myrtle rust is caused by a fungus that spreads in the air. People can also move fungal spores around, and introduce the disease to new hosts and areas where it may not independently arrive. Plants in the Myrtaceae family (myrtles) are at risk from dieback and death from myrtle ...more ↓

stevepawson created this project on September 06, 2017
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