To help protect EU Member States against the introduction of Xylella fastidiosa, EU emergency legislation has been introduced, which includes requirements to protect against introductions from non-EU countries, as well as from those parts of the EU where it is has been detected.

As well as introducing requirements for imports of non-EU plants and the movement of ‘specified plants’ (which include the confirmed hosts of Xylella fastidiosa in the EU and further afield), speaking at the annual Organics Recycling Group conference on 3 March, Mike Dennison, veterinary officer at the APHA said, “There is a new plant disease in the news. It is quite possible this could have an effect in terms of composting which needs to be controlled.” He suggested that this could mean composts from at risk sources needed to be heat treated, for example through In-Vessel Composting or anaerobic digestion.

Photo Caption: Dieback caused by Xylella

Photo Credit: Wikipedia

The post Composters warned of Xylella threat appeared first on Hort News on 17 March 2016.