Plant disease which kills hedges and causes apples and pears to shrivel spreads across Jersey

A serious plant disease which kills fruit blossoms and hedges by starving them of water has been found spreading across Jersey with 66 cases confirmed so far.

Fireblight causes the blossoms of the fruits to darken and makes twigs, flowers and leaves look as though they have been burned by fire.

While officials believe it may now be too prevalent to eradicate in the island, they hope the spread can be managed.

There is no known risk to humans but the disease can devastate crop yields.

Insects, including pollinators such as bees, can carry the harmful bacteria to the flowers of other healthy plants.

The Head Winemaker at Le Mare Estate, Jordi Sanvicens Moreno, says that around 30% of his apple orchard was infected by the disease which lead to the loss of the entire crop.

The Government's Environmental Department has been worrking to protect the remaining healthy plants.

Plant Pathologist Steve Thompson explains: "Fireblight is a bacterial disease which affects plants from the Rosacae family.

"It originally started in North America, it's probably been in Europe for the last 50 to 100 years, and we have a big problem.

"Years ago, the policy was you would eradicate the disease by cutting back and grubbing out hedges and so forth.

"The damage to biodiversity is so large and expensive, I don't think that's really an option."

Fireblight was a serious issue in Guernsey a few years ago but has now been brought under control.

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