Researchers will not be able to carry on with their research on mysterious and deadly tree disease, following a mistake committed by a contractor.

The researchers had been carrying out the research since the past 13 years. However, a mistake by the contractor late last year of cutting more than 140 experimental trees, ruined the hard work and efforts put in till date.

The trees at the University of Adelaide were accidentally razed over.

However, the university has asserted that they will be taking a legal action against Programmed Maintenance Services for destroying the research site, which was especially established to discover a treatment for deadly Mundulla Yellows disease. They have already begun a Supreme Court action.

In a statement, the university claimed that the workforce employed by the PMS was allowed to cut down excess trees in the Waite Campus during the month of November last year.

However, they disobeyed the detailed orders of not entering the research site and also cut 141 trees, the trunks of other five trees were damaged and also aluminum tags attached with the trees to take into account their health were detached.

Court documents claim: "It will cost $1,187,000 to replace the plot, which was funded by grants and donations by numerous groups and state and federal governments over the past decade".