The IPSN network has been working with Defra and Fera scientists to gather evidence on emerging pests and diseases of interest for the UK risk register.

The project aims to provide new scientific evidence to support Pest Risk Analyses as well as raise awareness about these important emerging pests and pathogens to botanic garden and arboreta (BG&A) around the world.

Three priority pest problems were identified

• Golden spotted oak borer – GSOB (Agrilus auroguttatus), Two lined chestnut borer – TLCB (Agrilus bilineatus) and Polyphagous shot hole borer – PSHB (Euwallacea whitfordiodendrus) on European Quercus spp.
• Rose rosette virus on Rosa spp.
• Ash Dieback (Hymenoscyphus fraxineus) and Emerald Ash Borer (Agrilus plannipennis) on Chionanthus and Phillyrea spp.