NAME OF THE ORGANISM: Ustilago tritici (USTINT)
GENERAL INFORMATION ON THE PEST
Name as submitted in the project specification (if different to the preferred name):
Pest category:
Fungi
1- Identity of the pest/Level of taxonomic listing:
Is the organism clearly a single taxonomic entity and can it be adequately distinguished from other entities of the same rank?
Yes
Is the pest defined at the species level or lower?:
Yes
Can listing of the pest at a taxonomic level higher than species be supported by scientific reasons or can species be identified within the taxonomic rank which are the (main) pests of concern?
- Not relevant: Cereals (including rice) sector
Is it justified that the pest is listed at a taxonomic rank below species level?
Not relevant
Conclusion:
- Candidate: Cereals (including rice) sector
Justification (if necessary):
Ustilago tritici and U. nuda differ only in pathogenicity [ibid., 23, p. 170] they should be united in one species (U. nuda) (Ainsworth & Sampson, 1950). U. tritici and U. nuda are synonyms according to Index Fungorum (http://www.indexfungorum.org/names/NamesRecord.asp?RecordID=141349).
2 – Status in the EU:
Is this pest already a quarantine pest for the whole EU?
No
Presence in the EU:
Yes
Conclusion:
candidate
Justification (if necessary):
This pest is present worldwide, including Europe (CABI, 1993).
HOST PLANT N°1: Triticum spelta (TRZSP) for the Cereals (including rice) sector.
Origin of the listing:
RNQP Questionnaire
Plants for planting:
Seeds
3 - Is the pest already listed in a PM4 standard on the concerned host plant?
No
Conclusion:
Evaluation continues
4 - Are the listed plants for planting the main* pathway for the "pest/host/intended use" combination? (*: significant compared to others):
No
Conclusion:
Not candidate
Justification:
No records of U.tritici (U. segetum var. tritici) [or U. nuda] could be found infecting Spelt wheat (T. spelta). Therefore it is considered not to be a host and therefore seed for planting is not a pathway.
CONCLUSION ON THE STATUS:
Disqualified: spelt is not considered to be a host plant.
8 - Tolerance level:
Is there a need to change the Tolerance level:
Yes
Proposed Tolerance levels:
Not recommended for the RNQP status.
9 - Risk management measures:
Is there a need to change the Risk management measure:
Yes
Proposed Risk management measure:
Not recommended for the RNQP status.
REFERENCES:
- Ainsworth G G & Sampson K (1950) The British smut fungi (Ustilaginales). The Commonwealth Mycological Institute, 137 pp;