Pathfinder
Editor, Senior Moderator
<TABLE id=apex_layout_271110100662109808 class=formlayout role=presentation border=0 summary="" datatable="0"><TBODY><TR><TD noWrap align=right>Archive Number</TD><TD noWrap align=left>20110928.2939</TD></TR><TR><TD noWrap align=right>Published Date</TD><TD noWrap align=left>28-SEP-2011</TD></TR><TR><TD noWrap align=right>Subject</TD><TD noWrap align=left>PRO/PL> Fireblight, pome fruit - Algeria (02): 1st rep.</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>
FIREBLIGHT, POME FRUIT - ALGERIA (02): FIRST REPORT</PRE>***************************************************
A ProMED-mail post
<http://www.promedmail.org>
ProMED-mail is a program of the
International Society for Infectious Diseases
<http://www.isid.org>
Date: 25 Sep 2011
Source: Le Soir d'Algerie [in French, machine transl., summ. Mod.DHA,
edited]
<http://www.lesoirdalgerie.com/articles/2011/09/25/article.php?sid=123399&cid=36>
Bacteria destroyed orchards
----------------------------
A formidable bacterium called "fireblight" is devastating hundreds of
orchards. In the province of Tipasa the disease has affected some 1000
ha [2471 acres] of pear, 900 ha [2223 acres] of apple and 500 ha [1235
acres] of medlar. It 1st appeared in April 2010. The pear variety
'santa maria' is the most susceptible and 80 percent of these trees
were destroyed.
Previously, 2 alerts were registered: in 2006 in Ain Defla province,
and in 2008 in Blida province due to infected pear plants imported
from Syria. Officials claim that "there is a lack of vigilance and a
reluctance of farmers to follow advice regarding this disease.
According to an expert "it is a serious situation and growers,
including those of other affected provinces like Algiers, Blida,
Boumerdes, Djelfa, Mascara and Sidi Bel-Abbes, are facing a pandemic
which they choose to ignore."
Many European countries have stringent conditions for movement of
plants which is subject to a European plant passport (EPP). In
Algeria, only after confirmation of the "blight" has the Ministry of
Agriculture and Rural Development made the fight against this disease
mandatory. All suspected cases must now be reported to the Plant
Protection Service which must take steps to contain the spread.
Measures have been taken to monitor the implementation of control
measures, support the affected areas and protect fireblight free
areas.
[Byline: Larbi Houari]
--
Communicated by:
Ronan Kelly, FluTrackers
<ronankelly@comcast.net>
[Fireblight is caused by the bacterium _Erwinia amylovora_ and is
considered the most destructive disease of pome fruit trees worldwide.
Many varieties of pear, quince, and apple are susceptible, although
the level of susceptibility may vary with cultivars. Only members of
the _Rosaceae_ are affected, mainly the sub-family _Maloideae_
(synonym _Pomoideae_), but also many cultivated rose and bramble
varieties. The known host range covers more than 140 species from 40
genera. Many ornamental and weed species serve as pathogen reservoirs
for crop infections.
The name of the disease is derived from the symptoms of blackening of
the leaves as if they were scorched by fire. Affected shoots bend
forming black hooks, some fruit may show lesions, cankers appear on
branches and trunks, and trees invariably die. The bacteria are highly
infectious and are spread by insect activity (including pollinators),
wind, water (rain, irrigation), mechanical means (tools, orchard
workers), and with plant material (including budwood, plant debris
accompanying harvested fruit). They enter the host plant through
wounds. Since they overwinter almost exclusively in cankers on limbs
infected during the previous season, the amount of inoculum and thus
the risk of outbreaks are increased following years with high
fireblight levels.
Phytosanitation and monitoring is used to attempt exclusion of
fireblight from individual orchards. Disease management may include
cultural measures (such as removal of pathogen reservoirs) and
bacteriocidal sprays. Currently the most effective control is
application of streptomycin during flowering, but the use of
antibiotics in agriculture is mostly subject to strict regulations.
Certain cultivar/rootstock combinations may provide some protection.
A continued spread of _E. amylovora_ to new areas and the emergence of
new streptomycin resistant strains are a major concern. Importation of
plant material, including fruit (shipments may also contain
contaminated leaf or twig fragments), from areas with endemic
fireblight poses a considerable quarantine risk, and the pathogen has
been placed on the A2 quarantine alert list of the European Plant
Protection Organisation (EPPO).
In Algeria, the current outbreak which has been confirmed by
laboratory diagnostics has been declared the first report by official
sources (see links below). This suggests that the two previous alerts
in the country mentioned above were only suspected cases of
fireblight. However, it is not clear whether the recent outbreak is
really due to a recent introduction or perhaps the spread of the
disease from the unconfirmed earlier sites.
...
http://www.promedmail.org/pls/apex/..._BACK_PAGE,F2400_P1001_PUB_MAIL_ID:1000,90465
FIREBLIGHT, POME FRUIT - ALGERIA (02): FIRST REPORT</PRE>***************************************************
A ProMED-mail post
<http://www.promedmail.org>
ProMED-mail is a program of the
International Society for Infectious Diseases
<http://www.isid.org>
Date: 25 Sep 2011
Source: Le Soir d'Algerie [in French, machine transl., summ. Mod.DHA,
edited]
<http://www.lesoirdalgerie.com/articles/2011/09/25/article.php?sid=123399&cid=36>
Bacteria destroyed orchards
----------------------------
A formidable bacterium called "fireblight" is devastating hundreds of
orchards. In the province of Tipasa the disease has affected some 1000
ha [2471 acres] of pear, 900 ha [2223 acres] of apple and 500 ha [1235
acres] of medlar. It 1st appeared in April 2010. The pear variety
'santa maria' is the most susceptible and 80 percent of these trees
were destroyed.
Previously, 2 alerts were registered: in 2006 in Ain Defla province,
and in 2008 in Blida province due to infected pear plants imported
from Syria. Officials claim that "there is a lack of vigilance and a
reluctance of farmers to follow advice regarding this disease.
According to an expert "it is a serious situation and growers,
including those of other affected provinces like Algiers, Blida,
Boumerdes, Djelfa, Mascara and Sidi Bel-Abbes, are facing a pandemic
which they choose to ignore."
Many European countries have stringent conditions for movement of
plants which is subject to a European plant passport (EPP). In
Algeria, only after confirmation of the "blight" has the Ministry of
Agriculture and Rural Development made the fight against this disease
mandatory. All suspected cases must now be reported to the Plant
Protection Service which must take steps to contain the spread.
Measures have been taken to monitor the implementation of control
measures, support the affected areas and protect fireblight free
areas.
[Byline: Larbi Houari]
--
Communicated by:
Ronan Kelly, FluTrackers
<ronankelly@comcast.net>
[Fireblight is caused by the bacterium _Erwinia amylovora_ and is
considered the most destructive disease of pome fruit trees worldwide.
Many varieties of pear, quince, and apple are susceptible, although
the level of susceptibility may vary with cultivars. Only members of
the _Rosaceae_ are affected, mainly the sub-family _Maloideae_
(synonym _Pomoideae_), but also many cultivated rose and bramble
varieties. The known host range covers more than 140 species from 40
genera. Many ornamental and weed species serve as pathogen reservoirs
for crop infections.
The name of the disease is derived from the symptoms of blackening of
the leaves as if they were scorched by fire. Affected shoots bend
forming black hooks, some fruit may show lesions, cankers appear on
branches and trunks, and trees invariably die. The bacteria are highly
infectious and are spread by insect activity (including pollinators),
wind, water (rain, irrigation), mechanical means (tools, orchard
workers), and with plant material (including budwood, plant debris
accompanying harvested fruit). They enter the host plant through
wounds. Since they overwinter almost exclusively in cankers on limbs
infected during the previous season, the amount of inoculum and thus
the risk of outbreaks are increased following years with high
fireblight levels.
Phytosanitation and monitoring is used to attempt exclusion of
fireblight from individual orchards. Disease management may include
cultural measures (such as removal of pathogen reservoirs) and
bacteriocidal sprays. Currently the most effective control is
application of streptomycin during flowering, but the use of
antibiotics in agriculture is mostly subject to strict regulations.
Certain cultivar/rootstock combinations may provide some protection.
A continued spread of _E. amylovora_ to new areas and the emergence of
new streptomycin resistant strains are a major concern. Importation of
plant material, including fruit (shipments may also contain
contaminated leaf or twig fragments), from areas with endemic
fireblight poses a considerable quarantine risk, and the pathogen has
been placed on the A2 quarantine alert list of the European Plant
Protection Organisation (EPPO).
In Algeria, the current outbreak which has been confirmed by
laboratory diagnostics has been declared the first report by official
sources (see links below). This suggests that the two previous alerts
in the country mentioned above were only suspected cases of
fireblight. However, it is not clear whether the recent outbreak is
really due to a recent introduction or perhaps the spread of the
disease from the unconfirmed earlier sites.
...
http://www.promedmail.org/pls/apex/..._BACK_PAGE,F2400_P1001_PUB_MAIL_ID:1000,90465