Tomato apical stunt viroid detected in Germany
The NPPO of Germany recently informed the EPPO Secretariat of the current situation of Tomato apical stunt viroid (Pospiviroid, TASVd – EPPO Alert List). It is noted that TASVd was detected in 2009 in Solanum jasminoides plants in a nursery in Rheinland-Pfalz; all infested plants were destroyed. In March 2011, TASVd was detected for the first time in Sachsen on asymptomatic solanaceous plants during a survey on another viroid (Potato spindle tuber viroid). The presence of TASVd was detected in samples collected from a lot of approximately 7500 Solanum jasminoides and 200 S. rantonetii plants grown in a glasshouse nursery. The proportions of infested plants in the concerned lots are not known. Part of the lot had already been sold when the samples were taken. The Regional Plant Protection Service of Sachsen ordered that the plants should be sold to final consumers only. It is suspected that TASVd had been introduced into this nursery with infested plant material.
The pest status of Tomato apical stunt viroid in Germany is officially declared as: Transient, actionable, under eradication.
Sources
NPPO of Germany (2011-11).