The Quality Department & Phytosanitary Control of the Directorate of Agricultural Economy and Veterinary Medicine. Kozani informs the obligors (nurseries, points of sale of ornamental plants and propagating material, international transport companies, producers, cooperatives, agronomists of the public and private, customs, Municipalities and Contractors of public gardening works) that was found, after laboratory examination of samples (from the Laboratory of Virology of the Benakeio Phytopathological Institute), the virus of brown wrinkling of tomato fruits (Tomato brown rugose fruit virus, ToBRFV):
- in a sample of a greenhouse tomato in Kastelli Kissamos of the Prefecture of Chania.
- in samples of greenhouse tomatoes in Vounaki Trifylia of the Prefecture of Messinia.
- in greenhouse tomato samples in Gargalianoi, Trifylia, Messinia Prefecture.
- This virus is on the watch list (alert list) of the European and Mediterranean Plant Protection Agency (EPPO) and its presence was first established in Europe in Germany and Italy in 2018. Constitutes emerging risk of great importance mainly for the cultivation of tomato and pepper and is transmitted by contact (infected hands, tools, clothes but also from plant to plant), contaminated propagating material and possibly contaminated seed. The bumblebees (Bombus terrestris) they can also transmit the virus during plant fertilization.
- At European Union level, the Standing Committee on Plant Health (ScoPaff) at its meeting, July 2019, received the Commission Implementing Decision 2019/1615 / EU of 26ης September 2019, establishing emergency measures to prevent the introduction and spread of the disease in the Union of the brown wrinkle tomato fruit virus, (ToBRFV).
https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EL/TXT/PDF/?uri=CELEX:32019D1615&from=EN
which is implemented by 1the November 2019.
Key points of the decision are:
- the obligation of Member States to carry out annual surveys in their territory of the quarantine pest,
- the obligation of the moving plants and seeds of tomato and pepper to be accompanied by a phytosanitary passport and to be checked for ToBRFV.
- The obligation for tomato and pepper plants and seeds imported into the European Union to be accompanied by a Plant Health Certificate that meets the Union requirements for ToBRFV virus.
- There are no remedies for infected plants. To tomato growers, to reduce crop losses and eradicate ToBRFV virus, the following measures are recommended:
- Use of healthy seed.
- Systematic control of beds and removal / destruction of seedlings that may have been infected or show suspicious symptoms.
- Use of healthy seedlings for planting.
- Periodic inspection of plants, after transplanting them in the field or greenhouse, and removal / destruction of those who show symptoms of the virus.
- Frequent disinfection of tools by immersion in a bleach solution 0.5% NaOCl or Virkon S or skim milk (at least 3.5% protein content).
- Wash hands with soap and rinse with plenty of water before handling plants.
- Use of shoes, disposable overalls and gloves by workers performing various cultivation tasks and switching them between different installations. Avoid contact of healthy plants with hands that have come in contact with diseased plants (eradication, binding, pruning, etc.), unless hands have been thoroughly washed before.
- Good washing of all surfaces, disks, etc., inside the greenhouses between transplants / plantings.
- Reduce as much as possible the movement of workers between the various sectors of the company.
- Weed removal in the areas around the greenhouses.
- Care for the removal and destruction of crop residues as well as disinfection of greenhouse areas.
- Existence of carpets with disinfectant at the entrance of the greenhouses.
More information can be found on the official website of the Ministry of Regional Development. in the field of Phytosanitary Control.
For your convenience, we quote the following link (link):
In accordance with applicable phytosanitary legislation (PD 365/2002-Government Gazette 307 A) the obligors must notify the competent authority (Department of Agricultural Economics & Veterinary Medicine) any unusual appearance of harmful organisms or symptoms or any other plant abnormalities.
Those interested in any information can contact the Department of Agricultural Economy and Veterinary P.E.. Kozani, Quality Department & Phytosanitary Control.
