How will the disease be managed in the future?
A new 5 year programme includes research and development, an awareness programme and disease control through funding clearance of host plants in high risk areas. This will involve an increased level of activity, aimed at reducing the level of inoculum to epidemiologically insignificant levels; by removal of infected sporulating hosts in woodlands and the wider environment; combined with enhanced containment and eradication measures in infected gardens and nursery sites, as well as the identification and control of any new outbreaks. Research has shown that the eradication of rhododendron is the most effective control measure to reduce disease spread in the wider environment (woodland, gardens and parks). Rhododendron ponticum is the principal species of rhododendron growing in the wild in GB. At a selected number of woodland gardens and areas of semi-managed or unmanaged woodland, clearance of all Rhododendron ponticum, whether infected or not, has proved effective at reducing inoculum
