By Professor Ian Toth, Head of the Plant Health Centre

The creation of our new Plant Health Centre (link is external) for Scotland could not be timelier. Plants are integral to our daily lives - they regulate our climate, they nourish us, they characterise our landscapes and provide the raw materials that support our economy. We risk losing these benefits if we do not respond effectively to the new plant pests and diseases threatening our borders.

With increased trade with the rest of the UK, and potentially a whole new level of trade with the rest of the world following Brexit, the risk and disruption caused by new pests and diseases is set to increase. The effects of our changing climate will only exacerbate this increase, as pests and pathogens from warmer countries are likely to arrive and settle in Scotland.

To read more visit the SEFARI web site here.