Rose disease on the rise

Gardeners beware! A deadly killer is stalking your multiflora roses. Fatal to multiflora roses, Rose Rosette Disease is a progressive sickness that takes several years of declining rose health before the plant finally gives in. The ailment,RRD is spread by a four legged eriophyid mite known as Phyllocoptes fructiphilus K. Once the mite has infected the plant it will take 17-30 days before a bright red mosaic pattern starts to develop on new leaves. This will be the first sign that your roses have picked up a RRD infection. After the plant has been infected for anywhere from 30-90 days, the plant will produce a small bunch of thorny shoots, called a witches broom. Roses that have RRD are more susceptible to winter frost damage. In addition, once RRD gets into the root system it will weaken the plant and death can be expected after one or two years. Pat Miller, West Central Region Agronomy Specialist for the University of Missouri Extension office, warns local growers to be on the lookout for this disease. "It wiped out my roses," said Miller. Miller said that once a plant is infected with RRD there is nothing that can be done to save them. However, some manner of prevention is possible by treating the plant with insecticide to lower the risk of transmission.