First report and eradication of cotton leaf curl Gezira virus in the Netherlands
The NPPO of the Netherlands recently informed the Secretariat of the first findings of cotton leaf curl Gezira virus (Begomovirus, CLCuGV, EU A1 Quarantine pest as ‘Begomovirus’) on its territory.
During an export inspection in April 2022, potted plants of Lavatera sp. showing yellow spots were sampled and the presence of cotton leaf curl Gezira virus was confirmed by the National Reference Laboratory in May 2022 in three lots (1120 plants were destroyed). Trace-back studies showed that the potted plants had been grown in a nursery in the province of Zuid-Holland, but young plants had been received from two producers located in Zuid-Holland and Noord-Holland in 2021 and 2022. In June 2022 CLCuGV was identified in 7 lots of young plants of Lavatera (presenting no symptoms) at the producer in Zuid-Holland. All 135 000 Lavatera plants in the nursery were destroyed.
As no vectors (Bemisia tabaci) were found in the nurseries, no measures were applied on other plant species present there.
The origin of this incursion is unknown, but it is noted that the grower of the young plants imported unrooted cuttings from Israel and Kenya*. Post import inspections will be conducted in July and August 2022 for all imports of Lavatera plants and cuttings, to find out whether plants are traded with (symptomatic or asymptomatic) begomovirus infections.
The pest status of Cotton leaf curl Gezira virus in the Netherlands is officially declared as: Absent, pest eradicated.
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* Note of the EPPO Secretariat: CLCuGV is not known to occur in Israel or Kenya.
Sources
NPPO of the Netherlands (2022-07).