EPPO Global Database

EPPO Reporting Service no. 07 - 2000 Num. article: 2000/124

Ralstonia solanacearum on artichoke in Egypt


Aly ; Abd El Ghafar (2000) report a bacterial wilt of artichoke (Cynara scolymus) in Egypt. The pathogen has been identified as Ralstonia solanacearum (EPPO A2 quarantine pest), and this is the first report of the bacterium on this host. Although the race of the pathogen is not stated, it may be presumed (from the host involved) to be race 1. Race 3 is already known from Egypt but Distribution Maps of Quarantine Pests for Europe does not give any record of race 1 in Egypt or in any Mediterranean country. The disease was found in the north of the country, and thus appears to be a first record in the Mediterranean region. However, it should be stressed that mapping of the races of R. solanacearum is in general complicated by the existence of old records which cannot be assigned to race, and also by the current concerns about presence of race 3 in the EPPO region. The true picture of the geographical distribution of race 1 in the Mediterranean region has probably to be reconstructed from zero.

Sources

Aly ; Abd El Ghafar (2000) New Disease Reports Vol 1, http://www.bspp.org.uk/ndr