| Legend |
|---|
| Justification for qualification based on EPPO PM 4 Standards |
| Justification for disqualification |
| Additional or non-conclusive information |
| Standard text |
NAME OF THE ORGANISM: Godronia cassandrae (GODRCA)
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: Fruits (including hops) 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: Fruits (including hops) sector
Justification (if necessary):
-
2 – Status in the EU:
Is this pest already a quarantine pest for the whole EU?
No
Presence in the EU:
Yes
List of countries (EPPO Global Database):
-
Conclusion:
Candidate
Justification (if necessary):
Godronia cassandrae is reported from at least Finland (Hårdh, 1959), Germany (Menzinger & Krupp, 1974; Weber & Entrop, 2013), Norway (Strømeng & Stensvand, 2011), Poland (Borecky & Pilszka, 1978; Stromeng & Stensvand, 2011 citing Szmagara, 2009), Slovenia (Oblak, 1977), Sweden (Liebster, 1980). In a European cultivar trial, infection was reported from many participating countries including the Germany, Italy, Netherlands, Poland (Liebster, 1979).
HOST PLANT N°1: Vaccinium (1VACG) for the Fruits (including hops) sector.
Origin of the listing:
Commission Implementing Directive (EU) 2014/98/EU and Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2019/2072
Plants for planting:
Plants intended for planting
3 - Is the pest already listed in a PM4 standard on the concerned host plant?
Yes
Conclusion:
Evaluation continues
Justification (if necessary):
EPPO Standard PM 4-18 Certification scheme for Vaccinium recommends inspection for 'Godronia cassandrae' with same tolerance levels as in the EU regulation. However, in responses to the questionnaire, NL supported deregulation in the EU, considering that plants for planting was not the main pathway and that damage was only on weak plants. Evaluation continues on these criteria.
4 - Are the listed plants for planting the main* pathway for the "pest/host/intended use" combination? (*: significant compared to others):
Yes
Conclusion:
Candidate
Justification:
Godronia cassandrae had been reported from highbush blueberry (Vaccinium corymbosum), lowbush blueberry (V. augustifolium), velvet-leaf blueberry (V. myrtilloides), Newfoundland bilberry (V. nubigenum) and bog bilberry (V. ulginosum) (Smerlis, 1969) where it can cause cankers, but not from rabbiteye blueberry (V. virgatum) (Ramsdell, revised by Smith, 2017). It causes end rot in cranberries (V. macrocarpon) a storage disease (Pepin & Boone, revised Mika, 2017).
The fungus overwinters in cankers on stems and crowns. Conidia are released from pycnidia in stem cankers during rainy periods from bud swell through leaf drop in October. Although most infections occur from bud swell through June, new infections can appear on new growth throughout the growing season. The fungus invades the cortex, cambium, and (to a limited extent) xylem. Infection by ascospores is relatively unimportant in the disease cycle. Wounding is not a prerequisite for infection. Leaf scars and other natural openings in the bark are common infection sites. Winter injury, frost injury, and cold stress appear to predispose stems to infection. Under controlled conditions, infection takes place in free water within 48 h at 10-22°C. Infection does not take place at or above 30°C (Ramsdell, revised by Smith, 2017).
In a European cultivar trial in the 1970ties infection was reported from many participating country (Liebster, 1979). Whether the plants for planting used in the trials originated from the same nurseries is not mentioned, but since all fields were severely infected it seemed likely that the disease was introduced with planting material (Strømeng & Stensvand, 2011).
[In responses to the questionnaire, NL commented that the pest was airborne and widespread in nature.]
The Fruit SEWG considered that plants for planting was still a significant pathway.
The fungus overwinters in cankers on stems and crowns. Conidia are released from pycnidia in stem cankers during rainy periods from bud swell through leaf drop in October. Although most infections occur from bud swell through June, new infections can appear on new growth throughout the growing season. The fungus invades the cortex, cambium, and (to a limited extent) xylem. Infection by ascospores is relatively unimportant in the disease cycle. Wounding is not a prerequisite for infection. Leaf scars and other natural openings in the bark are common infection sites. Winter injury, frost injury, and cold stress appear to predispose stems to infection. Under controlled conditions, infection takes place in free water within 48 h at 10-22°C. Infection does not take place at or above 30°C (Ramsdell, revised by Smith, 2017).
In a European cultivar trial in the 1970ties infection was reported from many participating country (Liebster, 1979). Whether the plants for planting used in the trials originated from the same nurseries is not mentioned, but since all fields were severely infected it seemed likely that the disease was introduced with planting material (Strømeng & Stensvand, 2011).
[In responses to the questionnaire, NL commented that the pest was airborne and widespread in nature.]
The Fruit SEWG considered that plants for planting was still a significant pathway.
5 - Economic impact:
Are there documented reports of any economic impact on the host?
Yes
Justification:
On highbush blueberry, disease severity ranges from wilting and death of one or two stems to wilting and death of almost all stems and subsequent death of the plant (Ramsdell, revised by Smith, 2017). G. cassandrae seems to be relatively adapted to cool and humid regions, such as Northern Europe. It is especially damaging on young plantings, affecting their establishment. In Poland, the largest highbush production in Europe, Godronia canker was considered as the most serious disease of highbush blueberry stems in a study conducted in the southeastern region of the country. In Norway, many fields became so seriously affected by Godronia canker that production ceased (Stromeng & Stensvand, 2011). Impact highly depends on the highbush cultivar (Piencek & Kakula, 2020).
Godronia canker is not normally a disease of concern on lowbush blueberry. However, in 2002, a widespread epidemic occurred in Canada in Nova Scotia and to a lesser extent in New Brunswick and Prince Edward Island. The disease appeared in 91% of the fruiting fields in Nova Scotia, and the incidence of affected cropping stems averaged 15% and was as high as 38%. Because the lesions usually girdled the stems, these data can be regarded as crop loss figures. However, the disease has failed to develop since 2002, although an occasional infected stem can be found, indicating that the pathogen and disease persist in fields at very low levels (Hildebrand, 2017).
[In responses to the questionnaire, NL commented that the pest was only damaging weak plants.]
The Fruit SEWG commented that Infections of young shoots occurs through mechanical damage, leaf scars, and cracks in the bark, but sometimes freely through the peel (damaged plants is not a pre-requisite).
Godronia canker is not normally a disease of concern on lowbush blueberry. However, in 2002, a widespread epidemic occurred in Canada in Nova Scotia and to a lesser extent in New Brunswick and Prince Edward Island. The disease appeared in 91% of the fruiting fields in Nova Scotia, and the incidence of affected cropping stems averaged 15% and was as high as 38%. Because the lesions usually girdled the stems, these data can be regarded as crop loss figures. However, the disease has failed to develop since 2002, although an occasional infected stem can be found, indicating that the pathogen and disease persist in fields at very low levels (Hildebrand, 2017).
[In responses to the questionnaire, NL commented that the pest was only damaging weak plants.]
The Fruit SEWG commented that Infections of young shoots occurs through mechanical damage, leaf scars, and cracks in the bark, but sometimes freely through the peel (damaged plants is not a pre-requisite).
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?
No
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:
Candidate
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?
Yes
Conclusion:
Candidate
Justification:
Control measures include:
- the production of healthy planting material (Stromeng & Stensvand, 2011),
- the use of highly resistant material (Stromeng & Stensvand, 2011),
- pruning of stems with cankers, removal from the field, and destruction/burning prior to bud break (Ramsdell, revised by Smith, 2017; Stromeng & Stensvand, 2011),
- sanitation as a critical component of management (Ramsdell, revised by Smith, 2017),
- avoiding overhead irrigation (Ramsdell, revised by Smith, 2017),
- avoiding planting on sites prone to frosts (Ramsdell, revised by Smith, 2017).
- the production of healthy planting material (Stromeng & Stensvand, 2011),
- the use of highly resistant material (Stromeng & Stensvand, 2011),
- pruning of stems with cankers, removal from the field, and destruction/burning prior to bud break (Ramsdell, revised by Smith, 2017; Stromeng & Stensvand, 2011),
- sanitation as a critical component of management (Ramsdell, revised by Smith, 2017),
- avoiding overhead irrigation (Ramsdell, revised by Smith, 2017),
- avoiding planting on sites prone to frosts (Ramsdell, revised by Smith, 2017).
7- Is the quality of the data sufficient to recommend the pest to be listed as a RNQP?
Yes
Conclusion:
Candidate
Justification:
CONCLUSION ON THE STATUS:
Recommended for listing as an RNQP, based on data.
8 - Tolerance level:
Is there a need to change the Tolerance level:
No
Proposed Tolerance levels:
9 - Risk management measures:
Is there a need to change the Risk management measure:
No
Proposed Risk management measure:
REFERENCES:
- Borecki Z & Pliszka K (1978) Canker of highbush blueberry caused by Godronia cassandrae f. vaccinii (Peck.) Groves. Acta Agrobotanica 31, 159-171.
- Hårdh JE (1959) Pensasmustikan viljelyä haittavista tekijoistä suomessa [Facotrs affectin blueberry culture in Finland]. The Journal of the Scientific Agricultural Society of Finland (currently: Journal of Agricultural Science in Finland) 31, 131-140 [in Finnish].
- Hildebrand PD (2017) Fusicoccum (Godronia) Canker. In Compendium of Blueberry, Cranberry, and Lingonberry Diseases and Pests 2nd edition (eds Polashock JJ, Caruso FI, Averill AL & Schilder AC). American Phytopathological Society, St Paul, MN, USA. pages 49-50.
- Liebster (1979) Kulturheidelbeer-Sortenversuch in sechs europäischen Ländern. Obstbau 4, 428-432.
- Liebster (1980) Das durch den Pilz Godronia cassandrae Peck. Hervorgerufene Tribsterben an Kulturheidelbeeren. Obstbau 5, 384-387.
- Menzinger W & Krupp J (1974) Dieback disease of highbush blueberries caused by Godronia cassandrae. Acta Horticulturae 61, 197-200.
- Oblak M (1977) Advanced testing of blueberry varieties in Slovenia. Acta Horticulturae 61, 145-149.
- Pepin HS & Boone DM, revised Mika JS (2017). Endrot. In Compendium of Blueberry, Cranberry, and Lingonberry Diseases and Pests 2nd edition (eds Polashock JJ, Caruso FI, Averill AL & Schilder AC). American Phytopathological Society, St Paul, MN, USA. pages 100-101.
- Piencek WL & Kakula W (2020) The evaluation of infection caused by different fungi species of highbush blueberry plants grown on selected commercial plantations located in central Poland. Annals of Warsaw University of Life Sciences – SGGW
- Horticulture and Landscape Architecture 41, 51–62.
- Ramsdell DC, revised by Smith CA (2017) Fusicoccum (Godronia) canker. In Compendium of Blueberry, Cranberry, and Lingonberry Diseases and Pests 2nd edition (eds Polashock JJ, Caruso FI, Averill AL & Schilder AC). American Phytopathological Society, St Paul, MN, USA. pages 23-24.
- Smerlis E (1969) Pathogenicity of some species of Godronia occurring in Quebec. Plant Disease Reporter 53, 807-810.
- Strømeng GM & Stensvand A (2011) Gondronia canker (Godronia cassandrae f.sp. vaccinii) in high busch blueberry. The European Journal of Plant Science and Biotechnology 5(Special Issue 1), 35-41.
- Weber RWS & Entrop AP (2013) Ursache des Triebsterbens an Heidelbeeren in Norddeutschland: Schadpilze oder Winterfrost? Erwerbsobstbau 55 (2), 35-45.