The plant disease myrtle rust has now been found at 39 locations nationwide, including four in Northland. Photo/ MPI
The plant disease myrtle rust has been found at a fourth location in Northland through customer tracing from the original infected nursery.
The new find was on a plant in a private garden in Kerikeri.
David Yard, who is in charge of the Ministry for Primary Industries' myrtle rust response,
said the infected plant was one of two bought by the property owner at Kerikeri Plant Production, where the disease was first detected in early May.
The plants had been removed and destroyed and the property sprayed with fungicide. The surrounding area was also inspected for signs of the distinctive fungus, which causes bright yellow spores to erupt from young leaves.
Kerikeri Plant Production has since reopened but can't sell plants from the myrtle family - including pohutukawa, manuka, feijoa and eucalypts - until further notice.
