EPPO Global Database

Ralstonia solanacearum(RALSSL)

Distribution details in Belgium

Situation
Current pest situation evaluated by EPPO on the basis of information dated 2021: Present, few occurrences
Pest status declared by NPPO: Present: in a few water courses in the provinces of Antwerpen and Limburg, subject to official control (44 communes) and one outbreak in ware potatoes under eradication (2021-02)
Comments
EPPO Reporting Service (1993/70) : single outbreak in 1992-11/12 at Mol on several ware potato cultivars. Under eradication.

EPPO Reporting Service (1996/02) : intensive monitoring of seed and ware potatoes since 1992. No potato growing allowed in communes where outbreaks had occurred. Single cases of infestation in 1993 and 1994. Not found since.

EPPO Reporting Service (1996/183) : confirms that no infected samples were found in 1995.

EPPO Reporting Service (1997/111) : no further infected potato samples found, but a 1996 survey of Solanum dulcamara by waterways near potato production sites and potato-processing plants showed some cases of infection. Area concerned has been delimited and use of surface water for irrigation and plant protection treatments has been prohibited.

1998: confirmed as eradicated.

EPPO Reporting Service (2000/055) : found again in autumn 1999 in a few ware-potato fields. Under eradication

EPPO Reporting Service (2004/155) : recalls that R. solanacearum was found in several pelargonium nurseries in Belgium in 2000, associated with imported cuttings.

2007: the infested zone (42 communes) is defined in the '’Arrêté ministériel' of 2000-02-14 with measures to prevent any further spread of R. solanacearum. Phytosanitary measures are taken according to EU Directives 98/57/EC and 2006/63/EC.

From NPPO (2013): survey of the potato production revealed one positive lot of farm saved seed (produced in 2008, detected 2009), eradicated. Following yearly surveys in water courses, demarcated areas have been enlarged (2 additional communes in Limburg neighboring the previously determined infested zone of 42 communes; so total number of communes is 44).

EPPO Reporting Service (2015/131) : found in 1 potato lot of ware potatoes (Solanum tuberosum cv. ‘Fontane’) in storage near Bocholt (province of Limburg). Under eradication. Measures concerning watercourses are continuing.

From NPPO (2015): a second (latent) case was found in 1 lot of ware potatoes (Solanum tuberosum cv. ‘Bintje’) in the province of Antwerp in July 2015. Under eradication.

From NPPO (2017): no more findings in the potato survey in 2015/2016 and 2016/2017. Considered eradicated in potatoes.

From NPPO (2021): one outbreak in tomato in the province of Antwerpen was eradicated. Found in two lots of ware potatoes, one in Limburg and one in Antwerpen. Under eradication.
References
* Directorate-General for Health and Food Safety (European Commission) (2017) Potato ring rot and brown rot surveys in the EU: Annual report 2016/2017. Luxembourg: Publications Office of the European Union
------- In annual surveys from 1995-2016, 23 lots of ware potatoes were found to be infected with R. solanacearum [phylotype IIB-1] (8 lots in 1999, 11 in 2002, 1 in 2005, 1 in 2008, 1 in 2014 and 1 in 2015). One lot of seed potatoes was reported to be infected in 1999.

* Grousset F, Roy AS, Smith IM (1998) Situation of Ralstonia solanacearum in the EPPO region in 1997. Bulletin OEPP/EPPO Bulletin 28 (1-2), 53-63.

* Janse JD (1996) Potato brown rot in western Europe – history, present occurrence and some remarks on possible origin, epidemiology and control strategies. Bulletin OEPP/EPPO Bulletin 26 (3-4), 679-695.
------- Biovar 2.

* Mazzucchi U (1995) Informatore Agrario 51 (31), 65-68.

* NPPO of Belgium (2007-09, 2013-12, 2015-07, 2015-12, 2016-12, 2017-12, 2021-02).
Situation in neighbouring countries
Country State Status
France Present, few occurrences view...
Germany Present, few occurrences view...
Luxembourg Absent, confirmed by survey view...
Netherlands Present, restricted distribution view...