Bacterial Plant Diseases Programme

There is growing concern about potential and existing threats to UK plant (including tree) health and biosecurity from the wider spread and more common occurrence of both emerging and indigenous bacterial diseases. Contributory factors include environmental change and greater movement of potentially contaminated plants or plant materials in trade. These pathogens (and the animals, known as vectors, that carry them) threaten crop production, forestry, commercial and amenity horticulture, as well as woodlands and broader biodiversity within the wider environment. They have the potential to cause widespread and severe economic, environmental and social impacts on landscapes and ecosystems, both rural and urban. Bacteria which infect plants are diverse and cause many types of diseases. They can transmitted via air, water, and soil, or via vectors like insects or worms. When introduced to new areas their spread can be unpredictable, but often highly invasive. They are difficult to control with chemicals and, unlike many other plant pathogens, frequently have a large number of potential hosts. BBSRC, NERC, Defra and the Scottish Government obtained funding from the Strategic Priorities Fund to support nine diverse and exciting high quality projects that address bacterial threats.