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International Society for Infectious Diseases
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International Society for Infectious Diseases <http://www.isid.org>
October 31, 2007
Source: Marketwire, Canadian Food Inspection Agency report
[edited]
<http://www.marketwire.com/mw/release.do?id=787222>
The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) has confirmed the
presence of potato wart in a single potato field near Freetown,
Prince Edward Island, following the collection and testing of
soil samples carried out over the past weeks. Potato wart, a
soilborne fungus, poses no threat to human health and does not
affect the safety of potatoes for consumption. It is considered
a quarantine pest by Canada and many other countries because it
reduces yield and makes potatoes unmarketable. Potato wart can
be transmitted to pest-free areas through infected soil or
potatoes.
The CFIA has advised its major trading partners that potato wart
has been confirmed. Also, the CFIA has implemented containment
measures and a long-term management plan designed to minimize
trade impacts for the potato industry in PEI and the rest of
Canada. This plan was established after the initial finding of
potato wart in 2000 to identify regulatory requirements, manage
detections, and prevent trade disruptions in the event of future
positive finds of the plant disease in Canada or the USA.
The latest find of potato wart was made following the voluntary
submission to the CFIA of a tuber displaying potato wart
symptoms and the resulting investigation to determine the
precise origin of the infected tuber. The field is in close
proximity to a field, which is already known to be positive and
has been under surveillance since the 1st potato wart detection
in 2000.
When the producer submitted the sample, the CFIA immediately
implemented control measures to limit the potential spread of
infested soil and plant parts. These measures are consistent
with potato wart regulatory measures taken to date in PEI.
Compensation may be available to affected parties under the
Potato Wart Compensation Regulations, 2003, which provides
compensation to persons for any treatment, prohibition,
restriction, or disposition imposed as a result of the presence
of potato wart.
--
communicated by:
ProMED-mail
<promed@promedmail.org>
[The potato wart fungus _Synchytrium endobioticum_ is considered
one of the most important pathogens of potato. It is endemic in
Europe and also reported from some other locations. It can also
affect tomato and some solanaceous weeds and is listed as a
quarantine pathogen for the EC by the European Plant Protection
Organisation (EPPO). On infected tubers, 'eyes'
develop into characteristic warty, cauliflower-like swellings.
If infected early, the whole tuber can be replaced by a warty
proliferation. Warts darken with age, and eventually rot and
disintegrate. Diagnosis requires a laboratory examination as
similar symptoms can be caused by other pathogens. The fungus
goes through cycles of proliferation and reinfection as long as
cool, wet conditions prevail and is therefore less damaging in
warm, light, well drained soils.
The disease is spread with soil (for example on farm tools), by
infected seed tubers, and also in manure from animals fed on
infected potatoes. The fungus can survive in soil for up to 40
years in the absence of a host.
There are several pathotypes (defined by their virulence on
different host cultivars), and potato varieties resistant to a
number of them have been developed. However, new pathogen
strains are emerging compromising the efficacy of host plant
resistance. Disease management is based on the control of
pathogen spread. Unfortunately, it appears that the attempts to
confine the pathogen to the site of its 1st discovery on PEI
have been unsuccessful.
Maps
Canada:
<http://www.lib.utexas.edu/maps/americas/canada_pol_1986.gif>
and <http://healthmap.org/promed?v=55.4,-101.9,4>
Prince Edward Island:
<http://atlas.nrcan.gc.ca/site/english/maps/reference/provincesterritories/
prince_edward_island/referencemap_image_view>
Worldwide distribution of potato wart (September 2006):
<http://www.eppo.org/QUARANTINE/fungi/Synchytrium_endobioticum/SYNCEN_map.htm>
Pictures
Potato wart symptoms:
<http://www.defra.gov.uk/planth/pestnote/pwd.htm>
Tuber symptoms and fungal structures:
<http://www.eppo.org/QUARANTINE/fungi/Synchytrium_endobioticum/SYNCEN_images.htm>
Links
EPPO potato wart data sheet:
<http://www.eppo.org/QUARANTINE/fungi/Synchytrium_endobioticum/SYNCEN_ds.pdf>
Disease information and background:
<http://www.defra.gov.uk/planth/pestpics/qic2004/QIC67.pdf>
and <http://www.apsnet.org/online/feature/potato/>
Potato wart diagnosis:
<http://www.eppo.org/QUARANTINE/fungi/Synchytrium_endobioticum/pm7-28(1)%20SYNCEN%20web.pdf>
First report on PEI:
<http://www.pestalert.org/viewArchPestAlert.cfm?rid=41>
_S. endobioticum_ taxonomy:
<http://www.indexfungorum.org/Names/SynSpecies.asp?RecordID=120395>
EPPO quarantine list:
<http://www.eppo.org/QUARANTINE/listA2.htm>
CFIA:
<http://www.inspection.gc.ca/english/toce.shtml>.
- Mod.DHA]
[see also in the
archive:
Pale cyst nematode & wart, potato - USA 20070629.2088
2006
---
Quarantine Pests, New Data - EPPO (02) 20060531.1521 Potato wart
disease - Turkey (Ordu Province): 1st report 20050406.0990
2003
---
Plant pests, new data, EPPO 20031204.2986 Potato wart disease -
Estonia: eradicated 20030731.1872
2002
---
Potato wart disease - Canada (PEI) (02) 20020907.5253 Potato
wart disease - Canada (Prince Edward Island) 20020906.5243
2001
---
Potato wart, potato - Canada (Prince Edward Island)
20011229.3136 2000
---
Potato wart disease - Canada (P.E.I.): EPPO report 20001225.2276
Potato wart disease - Netherlands 20001118.2016 Potato wart
disease - Canada (P.E.I.): USA import ban (02) 20001104.1919
Potato wart disease - Canada (P.E.I.): USA import ban
20001102.1908 Potato wart disease - Canada (Prince Edward
Island) 20001028.1877 Potato wart disease 20000211.0191] |
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