PLANT DISEASES

Opotiki News, Volume II, Issue 233, 13 September 1939, Page 4

PLANT DISEASES

EFFECTIVE RESiiiAK CH WHITE JiU'J'TFIU'LY A summary -of the work of the plant diseases division of the Department of _Scientific, and industrial liesearch in combating plant diseases, with several illustrations of Jiow it accomplished its results, Avas given to the Auckland liotarv Oilb by "Air. J . D. Atkinson, of.the staff of"'tlie‘.research station at: OAvairaka. “We are steadily importing new diseases into the Dominion,” .Mr. Atkinson said. “In the last tAvo years Ave haA’e imported no j. .fewer tlian nine, and unfortunately most of them are serious. In' these days we have stopped! the. import of many tilings, but not of plant diseases.” Mr. Atkinson Avent on to say that the most efficient inspection in the world would not stop this, and instanced the case of the AvJiite butterfly, Avhicli, it. Avas believed, liad been introduced from cabbages that liad been throAvn overboard from a. steamer at Ngav Plymouth. Air. Atkinson described the work of the division to identify ana then eradicate the citrus canker that liad been discovered in the Dominion in 1933. In America it Avas generally thought" necessary to cut out all the citrus trees Avhether affected or not, Avithin a radius of about a mile, but

Dr. G. H. Cunningham, decided to take a chance and simply have all the firstyear. Avood and the leiwes cut. off. This had ruined the crop for two years, but it liad -'proved very effective. _ Of ■the trees so treated! only, about- a quarter of 1 per cent, had been reinfected, and they Averc removed. Had that disease become established it would have meant the end of the . citrus industry in this country.