The New Enemy of the Christmas Tree

Last Updated on Thursday, 17 September 2015 03:36 Written by Albert Greenhut Tuesday, 17 December 2013 05:57

From my childhood I always remember the cartoonish Grinch trying to steal Christmas, the Grinch did not succeed thanks to the local townspeople, but where he failed root rot might succeed.

How is this possible? A new article from the Huffington Post claims that Fir trees in the Northwest, specifically Oregon, are at risk to Phytophthora fungus. This is a water mold that attacks the roots of these trees, and the issue is that it is not contained in the trees, but in the soil; making the problem not an issue for one generation of trees, but an ongoing issue. Oregon is the number 1 producer for Christmas trees, nearly 5 million produced there in 2007, the most recent figure from the NCTA (National Christmas Tree Association), more than twice the amount produced by North Carolina, 3.1 million which ranks that state as the number 2 producer.

One study estimated that Phytophthora could cost Oregon over $300 million. In North Carolina farmers are losing a quarter of their Fir trees per year and are at risk of losing up to 80% before they get to market.

Farmers in North Carolina believe that Hurricane Fran, in 1996, was responsible for transporting the water based mold to their soils, and it was exacerbated by hurricane Ivan in 2004.

Industries, more than just agricultural ones, are susceptible to mold and fungus problems, which can have hefty price tags.  It is known that copper, the active element in Intercept Technology, prevents molds from reproducing and spreading. Knowing that there is a solution out there is the first step in keeping problems like these from affecting your business. For more information about how Intercept Technology can help you look for creative solutions please contacts us at: info@staticintercept.com