First report of Chrysanthemum stem necrosis virus in Belgium
The NPPO of Belgium recently informed the EPPO Secretariat of the first finding of Chrysanthemum stem necrosis virus (Tospovirus, CSNV – EPPO A2 List) in 1 location in the Western part of the country. In September 2012, a grower of chrysanthemum plants (Dendranthema spp.) sent symptomatic samples to the National Reference Laboratory (ILVO) on his own initiative. The laboratory analysis (RT-PCR, sequencing) confirmed the presence of CSNV on 2012-10-26. During the official inspection that was subsequently carried out in the growers’ glasshouses, it appeared that several chrysanthemum cultivars were affected by CSNV. These cultivars had been grown from cuttings (rooted and unrooted) bought in July 2012 from a Belgian breeding company which had imported them from Brazil. Tracing-back investigations showed that 5 other Belgian growers had also received chrysanthemum cuttings from the same lots, but no symptoms were observed in these companies and all collected samples tested negative for the presence of CSNV. The NPPO recalled that earlier in 2012, an official survey for the presence of CSNV had been carried out from 2012-01-01 to 2012-03-31 in all Belgian breeding companies of Dendranthema spp. During this survey, 93 samples had been collected but all tested negative for CSNV. The origin of the infection remains unclear, but since this is the first notification of CSNV in Belgium, it is assumed that the imported cuttings were the source of infection. All infected chrysanthemum plants have been destroyed, and all companies concerned will be monitored in 2013.
The pest status of Chrysanthemum stem necrosis virus in Belgium is officially declared as: Transient, actionable, under eradication, detected in one location in protected cultivation.
Sources
NPPO of Belgium (2013-01).