Really....RRV was never used as a control method nor was it introduced from anywhere. It has been around the U.S. since at least the 1940s. Was it likely spread by the use of multiflora as fences and such? Sure. But being mad about that would make as much sense as being mad 20 years from now if we discover that something we can't currently detect that is found on say Knock Outs, causes all other roses to die. Multiflora as a fence was a conservation idea and it works quite well if the person who uses it is willing to maintane it. Have there been things introduced that back fired? Sure. But the list of invasive and devasting ecosystem criters that have come here on their own is a far longer list: Japanese Beetles Fire Ants Raspberry Ants Africanized Bees Cactus Moths Asian Citrus Psylid Mistle toe Water Hyacinth Snake Heads Armored Catfish Formosen Termites etc etc etc. Do Chemicals have a place? Yes. Should they be used exclusively or all the time-probably not but that is your decision. The above linked article was an uninformed paper from 2000 and I haven't been able to find any evidence that people ever used RRV as a control method. He was writing as it showed promise as a possible control method. In case you don't realize how this works currently, they test it extensively in controlled situations prior to using it as a commercial control. They have been testing a parasitic wasp to control fire ants for over a decade and still haven't released them.

I'm new to roses (planted my first rose garden in 2011) and, thus far, they're all healthy, but I do read a lot and want to be educated and ready to remove plants if it becomes necessary. I saw my first RRD rose at my local independent nursery a few days ago. A landscaper had brought in a branch and blooms. The horticulturist on staff at the nursery was kind enough to gather a few of us around and point out what to look for. In all honesty, it looked really different in person than what I had here-to-then seen online and read in descriptions of the virus. It was really helpful to see the "witch's broom"-like growth, the blooms that looked like it was grown at a leaking nuclear plant, and the weird thorniness that were like thorn-hair. This particular afflicted plant was off a Knockout variety but I know it can affect all roses, so I'm watching everything at my house, praying that I don't have to "euthanize" any. Pretty scary. Wish there was something we could do to avoid it. Makes you feel so helpless. . .

Sorry for the delayed response. It has been a very hectic past few days! Dumb question. Is RRD contagious? Meaning if I try the wait and see approach (by removing only the impacted canes instead of digging up the whole plant) with the roses who don't seem to have it as bad yet.....will I take a risk that somehow the RRD could get transmitted to the roses who don't have it? I would hate to lose any of the seemingly healthy roses by doing this. Moving forward, is there anything I can do to lessen the chances of the roses getting RRD? This summer Japanese beetles have been widespread in this area. Honestly, I can't ever remember them being this bad before now...or ever even seeing them really. I know of several other people who have knockout roses here and everyone is having the same problem with the Japanese beetles feasting on them. So as bad as it may sound, I can take some solace in knowing it is not just my roses that are getting hit. Is there anything I can spray on the roses to prevent Japanese beetles from attacking them?

I added what I had on Friday. I can see the addition, but it was never recorded in the number of posts???? Title: "First report of rose rosette disease caused by Rose rosette virus on Knock Out roses in Louisiana." Author(s) : Singh, R.; Valverde, R.; Cook, M.; Owings, A. Author Affiliation : Department of Plant Pathology and Crop Physiology, Louisiana State University Agricultural Center, Baton Rouge, LA 70803, USA. Author Email : rsingh@agcenter.lsu.edu Journal article : Plant Health Progress 2016 No.August pp.PHP-BR-16-0022 ref.1 Abstract : " To the authors' knowledge, this is the first report of rose rosette disease caused by Rose rosette virus on Knock Out roses in Louisiana. It is difficult to assess the total value of roses in Louisiana but this disease has the potential to negatively impact the thriving rose industry in the state."