A further 11 cases of the disease threatening to devastate the UK’s ash trees have been confirmed in Courier Country.
The Scottish Government revealed that the number of instances of Chalara ash dieback now stands at 23.
Environment minister Paul Wheelhouse told MSPs that a control plan to try to tackle the disease is expected to be published ”in the next week or so”.
Chalara ash dieback has been found at one nursery, 18 recently-planted sites and four sites in the wider environment in Scotland.
It is affecting a 241 sites throughout the UK.
It has been discovered at new planting sites near Blairgowrie, Alyth, Glendevon and Cleish in Perth and Kinross, Cowdenbeath, Largoward and Kennoway in Fife and Montrose in Angus, as well as a wider environment site near Kinghorn in Fife.
Mr Wheelhouse said: ”We have been working very closely with the UK Government and other devolved administrations on this problem.
”Although our native ash is not a major component of woods and forests in Scotland, it is an important feature of our landscape, has considerable biodiversity value and is also one of the most productive broadleaf species in terms of timber and firewood.
”Unfortunately, ash dieback is one of a number of tree problems we are facing at the moment.”
The minister made a visit to one of the infected sites in the wider environment last week and has been attending emergency meetings with UK colleagues to develop a Cap Chalara Control plan.
Forestry expert Dr Rick Worrell will also shortly report on the economic and ecological impact of the disease in Scotland, Mr Wheelhouse said.
MSPs were told that the Forestry Commission is developing advice on management of ash, techniques which could slowdown the spread of the disease and examining if there are isolated locations in Scotland to act as a refuge.
There is currently a ban on the import and movement of ash in the UK.