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Dr Ruth Chitty

Ruth is part of the RHS biosecurity team, diagnosing plant health issues in the RHS Gardens. She advises curatorial teams about the risks associated with different plants and promotes best practice in RHS procurement and handling of new plants

What do you do?

I assist RHS horticulturists with their plant health problems by collecting and examining samples of pests and diseases across all RHS Gardens. I love that my work varies so much with all the different plants across the RHS sites. No two RHS Gardens are the same, so I have the chance to identify a wide range of insects and diseases. 

I am particularly interested in developing surveillance, research and monitoring of plant health problems within RHS Gardens. Strengthening these systems would enable us to set up early warning systems, helping prevent small plant health issues from developing into larger problems.

“I love that my job gives me the chance to play detective, digging into the ‘clues’ to understand why a plant is struggling”

Why is your team’s research important?

The Biosecurity team ensures that RHS practices and activities comply with current UK plant health legislation and RHS Plant Health policies, thereby preventing the introduction of damaging pests and diseases into gardens. 

Achievements

  • RHS biosecurity policy – developed, agreed and signed off December 2022
  • Established a monthly online induction session on biosecurity aimed at all staff – initiated in January 2023
  • Streamlining reporting of any new insect or disease findings on RHS plants
  • Supervising an RHS summer studentship looking at mushroom reoccurrence after garden redesign
  • RHS Harlow Carr certified Plant Healthy December 2022 – the first English public garden to be certified (kudos to Paul Cook, Kirsty Wright and the many others involved at Harlow Carr and across the RHS in helping us to achieve this milestone)
  • Organised the RHS’ UK Fungus Day activities in 2023 – I’m proud to meet gardeners and raise awareness of the benefits of fungi in garden ecosystems.

Publications

  • Chitty R, Gange A (2024) Insects and mycorrhizal fungi influence maternal seed provisioning in Senecio vulgaris. Seed Science Research, 34(4), pp. 228–238. http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/S0960258524000266
  • Pérez‐Sierra A, Chitty R, Rodger I, Chambers J, Horta Jung M, Cacciola SO, Jung T (2024) First report of Phytophthora platani causing bark canker and dieback on London plane in the United Kingdom. New Disease Reports, 50(1). https://doi.org/10.1002/ndr2.12303
  • Pérez-Sierra A, Chitty R, Eacock A, Wylder B, Biddle M, Quick C, Gorton C, Olivieri L, Crampton M (2024) First report of Phytophthora pluvialis causing cankers on Japanese larch in the United Kingdom. New Disease Reports, 49. https://doi.org/10.1002/ndr2.12246
  • Romon Ochoa P, Samal P, Gorton C, Lewis A, Chitty R, Eacock A, Krzywinska E, Crampton M, Pérez-Sierra A, Biddle M, Jones B, Ward L (2023) Cryphonectria parasitica detections in England, Jersey and Guernsey during 2020–2023 reveal newly affected areas and infections by the CHV1 mycovirus. Journal of Fungi, 9(10):1036. https://doi.org/10.3390/jof9101036
  • Chitty R, Gange A (2022) Reciprocal interactions between aphids and arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi across plant generations. Arthropod-Plant Interactions, 16, pp.33–43. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11829-021-09875-9
  • Pérez-Sierra A, Chitty R, Eacock A, Jones B, Biddle M, Crampton M, Lewis A, Olivieri L, Webber J (2022) First report of Phytophthora pluvialis in Europe causing resinous cankers on western hemlock. New Disease Reports, 45(1). https://doi.org/10.1002/ndr2.12064
  • Romon Ochoa P, Forster J, Chitty R, Gorton C, Lewis A, Eacock A, Kupper Q, Rigling D, Pérez-Sierra A (2022) Canker development and biocontrol potential of CHV-1 infected English isolates of Cryphonectria parasitica Is dependent on the virus concentration and the compatibility of the fungal inoculums. Viruses, 14(12):2678. https://doi.org/10.3390/v14122678
  • Chitty R, Gange A (2022) Aphids and mycorrhizal fungi shape maternal effects in Senecio vulgaris. Plants, 11(16):2150. https://doi.org/10.3390/plants11162150
  • Pérez-Sierra A, Hardy C, Chitty R, Lewis A, McCartan S (2021) First report of Sirococcus piceicola associated with Sitka spruce seed in Britain. New Disease Reports, 44(2). https://doi.org/10.1002/ndr2.12048

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The RHS is the UK’s gardening charity, helping people and plants to grow - nurturing a healthier, happier world, one person and one plant at a time.