PSS is the main supplier of tree seedlings to the UK forest service. It comprises 3 nurseries that grow or purchase a wide range of conifer and broadleaf species to meet annual demand. In 2015/2016, demand was for 28.6 million trees, of which PSS grew 23 million and purchased 5.6 million. The main concerns are risks from importing trees, including whether visual inspections are sufficient and what species may be at risk from which locations. The document requester hopes to gain better understanding of risks from Phytophthora species and guidance on reducing those risks.

1. Plant and Seed Supply

2. 03/05/2016 PSS Delamere2
• State forest service tree seedling supplier.
• PSS comprises 3 nurseries and a seed trading division.
• Grow or purchase a wide range of both conifer and broadleaf
species to meet annual demand throughout the UK.
• 2015/16 demand 28.6 million trees.
• Grew 23.0 million, purchased 5.6 million.
• Roughly equates to 12,000 ha of planting.
Plant and Seed Supply - PSS

3. 03/05/2016 PSS Delamere3
Locations
Nurseries:
Newton – 6.5 million trees
Wykeham – 6.5 million trees
Delamere – 12 million trees
Seed Trading: Alice Holt

4. 03/05/2016 PSS Delamere4
Plant Types
Container v Bareroot ?

5. 03/05/2016 PSS Delamere5
Plant Types
75%
12%
4%
9%
Conifer - Bare-root
Conifer - Cells
Broadleaf - Bare-root
Broadleaf - Cells

6. 03/05/2016 PSS Delamere6
Conifer production 2005
Species Bare-root % Cell Grown % Total %
Sitka spruce 29.3 3.2 32.5
Scots pine 16.4 7.0 23.4
Larch 9.1 1.6 10.7
Corsican pine 4.5 5.6 10.1
Norway spruce 5.2 1.0 6.2
Lodgepole pine 5.9 0.2 6.1
Others 10.1 (4 sps) 0.9 (3 sps) 11.0
Total: 80.5 19.5 100

7. 03/05/2016 PSS Delamere7
Conifer production 2015
Species Bare-root % Cell Grown % Total %
Sitka spruce 59.8 5.6 65.4
Scots pine 6.3 0.9 7.2
Douglas fir 5.1 0.3 5.4
Norway spruce 7.8 0.3 8.1
Lodgepole pine 7.7 0.4 8.1
Others 2.7 (3 sps) 3.1 (20 sps) 5.8
Total: 89.4 10.6 100

8. 03/05/2016 PSS Delamere8
Species Grown
Abies alba
concolor
grandis
noblis
Araucaria araucana
Cedrus atlantica
Chamaecyparis lawsoniana
Cryptomeria japonica
Juniperus communis
Metasequoia glyptostroboides
Picea abies
omorika
orientalis
sitchensis
Pinus contorta
peuce
pinaster
radiata
strobus
sylvestris
Pseudotsuga menziesii
Sequoia sempervirens
Sequoiadendron giganteum
Taxus bacata
Thuja plicata
Tsuga heterophylla
Over 20 other species, mainly broadleaves, purchased.

9. 03/05/2016 PSS Delamere9
Issues
• Importation of trees:
• Is a visual health check sufficient?
• What species are at risk and from where?
• Should we quarantine/test and how?
• Where is the next major risk?
• How easily can genus/species gap be jumped?
• What is the risk of a current pathogen mutating and becoming
more virulent?
• Do our nursery practices make infection more or less likely?

10. 03/05/2016 PSS Delamere10
What I would like from the project
• A better appreciation of the risks from
Phytophthora spp.
• Guidance/advice on what can be done to
reduce the risk.

11. 03/05/2016 PSS Delamere11
Thank you.