Despite wide press coverage of the devastation the beetle, and its symbiotic partner, the fungus, can cause to both agriculture and domestic environments, there is still quite a bit of confusion on how to combat and control this problem.
InjectionInjecting individual trees with a cocktail of insecticide, fungicide, and fertiliser was one of the first methods that arborists used to treat infected trees. “Holes are drilled around the tree above the base, and the active ingredients injected into the tree are distributed via its vascular flow. This method of administering the treatment directly into the tree means there is less chance of contaminating the environment,” says Julian Ortlepp of Tree Works. To prevent the beetles from developing a resistance to the chemicals, a schedule of rotational treatments has to be implemented. “Injections should only be done once a year and can’t continue indefinitely,” warns Julian. While this method is still used, it’s expensive.
Fungicidal spray
This story is from the March 2020 edition of South African Garden and Home.
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This story is from the March 2020 edition of South African Garden and Home.
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