20 May 2017

Myrtle rust found on more Taranaki properties

7:49 pm on 20 May 2017

Another three locations in Taranaki have been confirmed to have the myrtle rust infection today.

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Photo: RNZ/ Supplied

One is a Taranaki Regional Council-run plant depot which supplies plants and trees to farmers for planting near rivers.

The other two locations are private gardens.

The Ministry for Primary Industries said the council depot had been closed down and was under treatment.

There are four other similar depots in Taranaki and plant movements there were being restricted while the sites were investigated.

There were now eight affected properties, two in Kerikeri in Northland, and the others in Taranaki.

The Ministry said it expected to continue to find new locations of infection, given the most likely scenario was that the fungal spores entered New Zealand from Australia on the wind.

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