Dothistroma Needle Blight is a disease, primarily on pine, that can be caused by the two fungal pathogens, Dothistroma septosporum and Dothistroma pini. The disease has been present in Great Britain since the 1950s and is now a serious disease of pine species there. The disease was found in Northern Ireland in 2011 on Corsican pine. The disease is present in most other EU Member States and in many other countries outside the EU.
DNB has now been found in Ireland for the first time (September 2016). It was identified, following laboratory analysis, as being present on Scots pine trees at two forests, one in Limerick and one in Cork.
Dothistroma septosporum tree disease is listed as a quarantine disease and is regulated under the EU Plant Health Directive – Council Directive 2000/29/EC, which requires Member States to take all necessary measures to eradicate, or where that is impossible, to inhibit the spread of the harmful organism. The Department is taking a number of actions in relation to the disease, detailed on the Department’s website. Foresters are asked to be vigilant for the disease and report (with photographs, if possible) any sites where there are concerns about possible DNB symptoms in pine, to the Forest Service by e-mail forestprotection@agriculture.gov.ie, by phoning 01-607 2651 or by using the Treecheck App.
For more comprehensive information about the disease, the symptoms, actions being taken etc. please visit: http://www.agriculture.gov.ie/forestservice/treediseases/dothistromaneedleblight/
TreeCheck App
TreeCheck, an All Ireland smartphone App, may also be used to report suspect findings. Using a GPS-enabled smartphone the location of the suspect tree can be recorded by the app to allow a follow-up field visit by Inspectors in the relevant jurisdiction if required. All reports received will be acknowledged and examined and those of particular concern taken forward for follow up by specialist plant health inspectors.
To access the TreeCheck App scan the attached QR with your smart phone or type the address https://www.treecheck.net into your mobile web browser. (It is not available in the App store.) You will be presented with the App and the option to save a link to your home screen. Follow the directions for your phone. Please note if you have a GPS enabled phone you may be asked to “Share Location”. Choosing to share your location enables us to have accurate geo-location data to assist our Inspectors in the event we need to investigate your report further.