NAME OF THE ORGANISM: Verticillium dahliae VERTDA

GENERAL INFORMATION ON THE PEST

Name as submitted in the project specification (if different):

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: Vegetable propagating and planting material (other than seeds) sector

If necessary, please list the species:

Is it justified that the pest is listed at a taxonomic rank below species level?

Not relevant

Conclusion:

Candidate: Vegetable propagating and planting material (other than seeds) sector

Justification (if necessary):

2 – Status in the EU:

Is this pest already a quarantine pest for the whole EU?

Presence in the EU:

Yes

List of countries (EPPO Global Database):

Austria (2014); Belgium (2015); Bulgaria (1986); Cyprus (2011); Czech Republic (2011); Denmark (1986); France (1986); Germany (2012); Greece (2013); Greece/Kriti (2013); Hungary (1986); Italy (2007); Malta (2007); Netherlands (2015); Portugal (1986); Slovakia (2012); Spain (2014); United Kingdom (2014); United Kingdom/England (1986); United Kingdom/Scotland (1986); United Kingdom/Channel Islands (1986)

Conclusion:

candidate

Justification (if necessary):

Data of the presence of this pest on the EU territory are available in EPPO Global Database (https://gd.eppo.int/). V. dahliae is present in most EU MSs, with the exception of Ireland (absent, no pest records) and Poland (absent/uncertain). The current status of V. dahliae in the MSs where the pathogen is known to occur ranges from “restricted distribution” to “widespread” (EFSA, 2014).

HOST PLANT N°1: Capsicum annuum (CPSAN) for the Vegetable propagating and planting material (other than seeds) sector.

Origin of the listing:

2 - Vegetable seedling sector: Commission Directive 93/61/EC

Plants for planting:

Plants intended for planting

3 - Is the pest already listed in a PM4 standard on the concerned host plant?

Conclusion:

Evaluation continues

4 - Are the listed plants for planting the main* pathway for the "pest/host/intended use" combination? (*: significant compared to others):

Conclusion:

Not candidate

Justification:

Verticillium albo-atrum and V. dahliae cause wilting and sometimes death of plants. Verticillium wilt is a cool-weather disease and has a wide host range in natural areas. The two Verticillium spp. survive in soil, as long lived resting mycelium or microsclerotia, respectively, or in debris from infected plants (included weeds (EFSA, 2014)). Control is by use of healthy planting material, resistant cultivars, prevention of movement of infected plants and infested soil, removal of diseased plants and plant debris, avoiding high nitrogen concentrations and soil disinfestation. Crop rotation can reduce losses, but not eliminate the pathogens because of the wide host range of Verticillium spp. (EPPO, 2004). Bell pepper was found resistant to all V. dahliae isolates except those from pepper or eggplant in one paper, but in two other papers found little host specificity existed in isolates of V. dahliae and V. alboatrum, so crop rotation would not assist in control. Because C. annuum is grown from seeds (short production time), and because of the wide host range and longevity of inoculum sources in the environment, planting material (transplants) are not considered to be the main pathway. Once, established, V. dahliae can be spread by infected asymptomatic weed seeds and weed seeds, by water and by human-assisted means.

5 - Economic impact:

Are there documented reports of any economic impact on the host?

Yes

Justification:

Verticillium albo-atrum and V. dahliae cause wilting and sometimes death of plants. These fungi parasitize the vascular system. Verticillium wilt is a cool-weather disease. Infected plants show mild to moderate wilting during the warmest part of the day but recover at night. As the disease advances, some
marginal and interveinal chlorosis develops on lower leaflets. Verticillium can also cause problems in crops grown on artificial substrates (EPPO, 2004).
Impacts of Verticillium wilt are linked to yield and quality reduction for most of the host plant species. Although yield losses of 50 % or more commonly occur in high-value crops, including cotton, lettuce, olive, potato, strawberry and various ornamentals, precise yield and quality loss estimates are not readily available for most of the crops attacked by the pathogen (EFSA, 2014). Yield losses of 20% are reported on pepper fields in California (Rudolph and Snyder, 1937).

What is the likely economic impact of the pest irrespective of its infestation source in the absence of phytosanitary measures? (= official measures)

Medium

Is the economic impact due to the presence of the pest on the named host plant for planting, acceptable to the propagation and end user sectors concerned?

Is there unacceptable economic impact caused to other hosts (or the same host with a different intended use) produced at the same place of production due to the transfer of the pest from the named host plant for planting?

Conclusion:

Justification:

6 - Are there feasible and effective measures available to prevent the presence of the pest on the plants for planting at an incidence above a certain threshold (including zero) to avoid an unacceptable economic impact as regards the relevant host plants?

Conclusion:

Justification:

Use of healthy seeds, of available resistant cultivars and healthy growing media. Sanitation of facilities and equipment (EFSA 2014).

7- Is the quality of the data sufficient to recommend the pest to be listed as a RNQP?

Conclusion:

Justification:

CONCLUSION ON THE STATUS:

Disqualified: plants for planting are not the main pathway. Remark: the full methodology was applied on this pest to insure consistency with entries submitted by the IIA2 AWG for this pest. Indeed this pest/host combination was not identified by any EU MS in the RNQP Questionnaire as requiring a revision of current thresholds and or a revision of current management measures. This pest/host combination was not identified by the experts of the vegetable SEWG as being a candidate for the RNQP Status with specific tolerance levels and/or specific risk management measures. Experts recommended that this pest/host combination should be covered in the future by the 'substantially free from' requirement that will stay in the Vegetable propagating and planting (excluding seeds) EU Marketing Directives.

8 - Tolerance level:

Is there a need to change the Tolerance level:

Proposed Tolerance levels:

Delisting.

9 - Risk management measures:

Is there a need to change the Risk management measure:

Proposed Risk management measure:

Delisting.

REFERENCES:

Çürük S, Dasgan Y H, Mansuroglu S, Kurt S, Mazmanoglu M, Antaklı O & Tarla G (2009) Grafted eggplant yield, quality and growth in infested soil with Verticillium dahliae and Meloidogyne incognita. Pesquisa agropecuaria brasileira 12, 1673-1681. http://dx.doi.org/10.1590/S0100-204X2009001200017;
EFSA Panel on Plant Health (PLH) (2014) Scientific Opinion on the pest categorisation of Verticillium dahliae Kleb. EFSA Journal 2014;12(12):3928, 54 pp. doi:10.2903/j.efsa.2014.3928. http://www.efsa.europa.eu/en/efsajournal/doc/3928.pdf;
EPPO (2004) Good plant protection practice PP 2/30 (1) Outdoor solanaceous crops Bulletin OEPP/EPPO Bulletin 34, 79-90;
EU COM (2016) Recommendation of the Working Group on the Annexes of the Council Directive 2000/29/EC – Section II – Listing of Harmful Organisms as regards the future listing of Verticillium dahlia Kleb.;
Rudolph B A and Snyder W C (1937) Verticillum wilt of pepper. Plant Disease 21, 204;