Ash dieback disease: a plague on our ashes

A video published by the Microbiology Society tries to explain what is Ash dieback disease.

Ash dieback is expected to kill millions of Britain’s ash trees over the next ten years. Caused by a fungus, Hymenoscyphus fraxineus, the disease kills trees by spreading through the branches and strangling the vascular system.

Dr Anne Edwards is a plant biologist and microbiologist at the John Innes Centre in Norwich. We revisit the woodland where Anne first found ash dieback in 2012 to see how some trees seem to be tolerant to the fungus, and learn what’s being done in the fight against the disease.