Augmentation of rose rosette disease for biocontrol of multiflora rose (Rosa multiflora)

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Abstract
Rose rosette disease, lethal to multiflora rose and indigenous to North America, has been proposed as a biocontrol agent for multiflora rose, a noxious weed in the central and eastern United States. Studies in experimental plots showed that the disease can be intensified by grafting infected shoots onto plants in established stands (i.e., augmentation). The rate of disease spread in augmented plots was significantly faster compared to epidemics in nonaugmented plots at 5 locations. Augmentation provided effective control 3 to 5 yr after implementation. Risk to ornamental rose seems to be low under conditions of this study. Plots to assess risk of the disease to ornamental roses, located at distances greater than 100 m from augmentation sites, showed no infection during the 3 yr of this study.