Abstract
Managing the potential impact of myrtle rust in mine rehabilitation.
Myrtle rust (Puccinia psidii) is an exotic disease from South America that was detected in New South Wales in 2010 and is now established along the east coast of NSW and Queensland and locally in Victoria, Tasmania and the Northern Territory. It infects new shoots and leaves, causing distortion and shoot death, and dieback and tree mortality in severe cases. It has a host range of over 450 species across more than 70 genera within Myrtaceae, and has long been recognised as a significant threat to Australia's native ecosystems and industries reliant on Myrtaceae. In the six years that myrtle rust has been established in native ecosystems in Australia, it has caused significant impact to highly susceptible species, including dieback, tree mortality, and cessation of fruiting and reproduction. Regeneration of susceptible species, including after fire and for bush-regeneration, has also been impacted, with the species composition at some monitoring sites changing as non-susceptible species dominate. This has implications for mining rehabilitation, with failure likely if highly susceptible species are selected. Current research indicates selection of resistant or tolerant provenances/seedlots could assist in reducing the impact of myrtle rust on mine rehabilitation sites.
Co-author: Geoff Pegg, Queensland Department of Agriculture and Fisheries, Brisbane Qld
Managing the potential impact of myrtle rust in mine rehabilitation.
Myrtle rust (Puccinia psidii) is an exotic disease from South America that was detected in New South Wales in 2010 and is now established along the east coast of NSW and Queensland and locally in Victoria, Tasmania and the Northern Territory. It infects new shoots and leaves, causing distortion and shoot death, and dieback and tree mortality in severe cases. It has a host range of over 450 species across more than 70 genera within Myrtaceae, and has long been recognised as a significant threat to Australia's native ecosystems and industries reliant on Myrtaceae. In the six years that myrtle rust has been established in native ecosystems in Australia, it has caused significant impact to highly susceptible species, including dieback, tree mortality, and cessation of fruiting and reproduction. Regeneration of susceptible species, including after fire and for bush-regeneration, has also been impacted, with the species composition at some monitoring sites changing as non-susceptible species dominate. This has implications for mining rehabilitation, with failure likely if highly susceptible species are selected. Current research indicates selection of resistant or tolerant provenances/seedlots could assist in reducing the impact of myrtle rust on mine rehabilitation sites.
Co-author: Geoff Pegg, Queensland Department of Agriculture and Fisheries, Brisbane Qld