The latest and biggest invasive threat to the Island’s environment is xylella fastidiosa – one of the most harmful plant disease-causing bacteria in the world.
‘At present this disease is in parts of Italy and France in a wide range of host plants, including trees and shrubs,’ Scott Meadows, Environment’s head of plant health, said. ‘It would be very serious indeed if it ever got into Jersey.’
Xylella causes browning, dieback [the progressive death of twigs and branches which generally starts at the tips], and eventually death. As the bacteria spreads by ‘jumping’ from species to species, the only way to control an outbreak is to destroy all plants within 200 metres of an outbreak – and in Jersey that would include hedgerows, field crops and plants in private gardens.
While insects can transport the bacteria, the sea around the Island provides a natural barrier to contamination. However, Mr Meadows said the most likely way that the disease would reach Jersey is through plants being brought in by people returning from holiday in Europe.
‘The Environment Department has put in extra measures to control the movement of plant material by monitoring and undertaking vehicle checks at the Harbour and checking for plants that may be brought in at the Airport,’ he said.
To control the spread of the disease, all movements of susceptible plants between countries in Europe and the British Isles have to be accompanied by documentation confirming they come from a disease-free site.
However, even though garden centres in Europe – and Italy in particular – say their plants are disease-free, Mr Meadows said Islanders should not take the risk of bringing home any plants.
And he issued a further warning to anyone planning a trip to Spain or Portugal where the epitrix potato beetle is infecting potato, pepper, tomato and aubergine crops.
‘If it got established here it would seriously hit the potato export market and it would probably require very high levels of pesticides to eradicate the problem,’ he said.
‘So the message to remember when you are on holiday in Europe this summer is to think twice before you stick that shrub in the back of your car.’
