Where is the research
Wow Dutch - that is a lot of posts.
I have 8500 elms I protect and it is my responsibility to do the best thing for my clients. If your product is better and less injurious to the tree, then it is my responsibility to let them know and give them that option. But I have been entrusted by these people to save their specimen tree and I have something that is working. I need more - a lot more.
I've been around too long to make decisions based on words. Where is the published peer reviewed research. I went through this with Alamo and Phyton, before that it was Pseudomonas syringae, which was even in National Geographic and was touted as the cure for DED. All Failed. Alamo was supposed to last 3 years, was supported by a highly credible firm and scientist - it lasted one season. Anyone who has been treating elms for more than 10 years was likely burned by this and remembers it well. Phyton 27 was the next coming - it plain did not work. Pseudomonas syringae even had government money poured into it as it was supposed to do what your organism is claiming. 10's of thousands of trees were treated - The tree built resistance to it and it failed.
I talked to a professor at the University of Minnesota about all the proposed treatments for DED that have come down the pike - he said he counted 532 in the past 50 years. He then told me that Arbotect is the only one with a track record that works multiple seasons. Our track record shows that over 10's of thousands of elms we have lost less then 1% over 3 years.
How about if we do a study together? I can find at least 100 mature trees.
I have questions
1. You are wounding the tree in the trunk at chest level every year. These must add up. Why do you claim that this is less invasive then Arbotect done every 3 years? It seems the same to me.
2. Why did the person who headed the project from Denver call it a Joke? I know him and he has worked with DED for many years. He is also fair and balanced and happens to be the President of the Rocky Mountain ISA Chapter right now. This makes me very nervous - probably more than anything.
3. Why despite your work on this for the past 10 years - is there no peer reviewed published research? (Bartlett lost 19 of the challenged trees - no controls or treated were lost in unchallenged trees- This means???)
4. In Minnesota - DED can infect trees as early as Mid April. Your treatment happens in Mid May and Takes 15 days to be effective. This is the same problem with Alamo annual treatments (which needs to wait till June).
I promise to remain open minded. But I have been fooled 3 times now. It is not going to happen a fourth time.