Jassy’s research concentrates on honey fungus, developing tests to diagnose the disease and understanding the interactions between different honey fungus species
I’m a Plant Pathologist researching the biology and management of honey fungus in UK gardens. My previous specialist area was the interactions between wheat pests and pathogens. In 2017, I launched the nationwide Honey Fungus Hunt – asking members of the public to record sightings of honey fungus mushrooms. The survey received 170 responses, of which 113 were confirmed to be honey fungus. The results from the survey can be found on the honey fungus hunt project page and are being used to inform the direction of future research. I am also project lead for the RHS in the HOMED (Holistic Management of Emerging forest pests & Diseases) EU Horizon 2020 project. I also support RHS Gardening Advice, diagnosing plant diseases and providing advice on managing diseases on gardens.
“Honey fungus is a difficult disease to manage. I hope to find new control measures and educate gardeners about the options available to manage a garden where honey fungus is present.”
Honey fungus is a plant killer without a cure. It is not picky about the plants it kills – hedgerows, trees, climbers, shrubs and fruit crops can all be lost to this disease. RHS Gardening Advice diagnoses the disease more often than any other but we have gaps in our understanding about the biology of the fungus and how it can be controlled. My work seeks to discover how different species of honey fungus live and infect plants in UK gardens. I am working to create more accurate disease diagnosis and tailored management advice. Much of our current understanding of the disease comes from studies on forests, so it is important to verify the aspects that hold true for gardens and whether we should approach disease management in the same way.
The Royal Horticultural Society is the UK’s leading gardening charity. We aim to enrich everyone’s life through plants, and make the UK a greener and more beautiful place.
