The battle to beat myrtle rust is being stepped up with the introduction today of restrictions of movement for myrtle species plants and green waste out of an area in Taranaki.
Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) myrtle rust response incident controller David Yard says a controlled area extending 10km out from known infected properties is being imposed to help control any spread of myrtle rust from the most infected area around Waitara.
"It is illegal to move any plants or trees belonging to the myrtle family and any garden waste, fruit - feijoa or guava - or prunings from those plants out of this area," Yard said.
Myrtle rust symptoms are suppressed during the cold winter months, Yard said, and it's proving difficult to get a good measure of exactly where the disease is present and the scale of the outbreak.
"We could be dealing with an extensive outbreak, but there remains some possibility we may only have a small level of infection that could ultimately be eradicated.
"Until the weather warms up and any infection present becomes much more visible, we need to do everything possible to contain and destroy it in the areas we know about.
"Come spring, if we find it is limited to the current known areas, we'll have the best possible chance to get rid of it from New Zealand," Mr Yard said.
Only plants in the myrtle family which includes pohutukawa, manuka, rata, ramarama, lilly pilly, eucalyptus and feijoa are affected by myrtle rust.
The ministry is urging residents to not move myrtle plants, fruit or green waste out of the controlled area.
"Myrtle family plants can still be bought and planted within the zone," Yard added.
Taranaki remains the focus of the fight, although myrtle rust has been found in other regions.
