<
https://theconversation.com/myrtle-rust-is-devastating-australian-forests-a-new-high-tech-spray-holds-out-hope-for-native-trees-219411>
"Around a decade ago, an invasive fungal disease called myrtle rust reached
Australia and began to spread like a plague through certain plants. The disease
affects plants of the Myrtaceae family, which includes eucalypts, paperbarks
and lilly pillies, and makes up 10% of Australian plant biodiversity.
In only a few years, myrtle rust has changed ecosystems by destroying trees and
their canopies, wiped out whole species in certain areas, and taken an economic
toll on industries that grow trees such as lemon-scented myrtle and tea tree.
The disease is a slow-moving ecological wrecking ball: surveys suggest it may
drive at least 16 species of rainforest tree to extinction in the wild within a
generation, with another 20 species at risk.
We have used RNA technology similar to that in COVID vaccines to create a
highly targeted treatment for myrtle rust: a spray that can restore even
severely infected trees to health in around six weeks."
Cheers,
*** Xanni ***
--
mailto:xanni@xanadu.net Andrew Pam
http://xanadu.com.au/ Chief Scientist, Xanadu
https://glasswings.com.au/ Partner, Glass Wings
https://sericyb.com.au/ Manager, Serious Cybernetics
