Survey on Clavibacter michiganensis subsp. sepedonicus in Germany (1998 harvest)
The EPPO Reporting Service 99/054 presented results of the surveys on Clavibacter michiganensis subsp. sepedonicus carried out in Germany for the 1997 potato harvest and part of the 1998 harvest. The NPPO of Germany provided more information on the survey concerning the 1998 potato harvest and also noted that in EPPO RS 99/054 the sentence 'The number of infested lots found in 1997 was twice as high as in 1996', should be replaced by 'The amount of samples tested during that period was twice as high as in 1996'.
Official tests (IF, in some laboratories IF and PCR) were done for latent infections in seed and ware potatoes. In all German Länder, all prebasic and basic material is tested. In the main seed potato production areas, all certified material is tested (Bayern, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Niedersachsen, Schleswig-Holstein), and in other Länder 80-100% certified material is tested.
1998 harvest: 16.551 samples were tested (251 gene-collection and breeding material, 11.109 seed potato production, 992 seed potato trade, 4.199 ware potatoes). In addition, visual inspections were also carried out. 15 positive cases were found on seed potatoes and 38 positive cases on ware potatoes. In comparison to the 1997 survey, there is a significant decrease concerning seed potatoes and a slight improvement for ware potatoes. Phytosanitary measures are being applied, aiming at the eradication of the disease.
Sources
NPPO of Germany, 1999-07.