Forsythia, climate change and Dorset

This is not a cheap way to get your attention. Longer, warmer seasons means more insect activity. More insect feeding means greater chances of transferring plant diseases. Such as these strange symptoms. No, this is not herbicide damage. No, it's not a virus. And no, it's not a chimaera. I think it's a phytoplasma, though in the absence of Yaima Arocha, we've been unable to confirm this. Look at the unusual shoot production and the smaller leaves. Something very peculiar happening. Phytoplasmas are not a well-known group of pathogens, but they can cause serious damage. And more are being recorded in the UK.

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Tags:

• Forsythia
• climate
• change
• Dorset
• phytoplasma
• GPC
• Global
• Plant
• Clinic
• CABI