Jacinta Harrop of Striks Nursery in Otaki has joined NZPPI as our new special programme adviser. Jacinta is working for NZPPI one day a week and will initially focus on organising a series of workshops on the Myrtle Rust Climate Model app and updated disease protocols.

The suite of tools and information to help plant nurseries manage myrtle rust was released in summer, including the app to enable plant producers to anticipate when myrtle rust is most likely to develop in their nurseries and so implement prevention practices. The model sits under an overarching Plant Disease Management Platform on the NZPPI website.

Jacinta works for Striks as a horticultural technician and has a Bachelor of Agriscience from Massey University. She was a Young Achiever finalist last year and came third overall. She said at the time: “Whether you have a passion for regenerative planting, plant tissue culture labs, houseplants, flowers or the home garden you can find something that suits you in the plant production industry."

We warmly welcome Jacinta and look forward to her help in assisting nurseries manage this disease.