First report on detection of three Bunya-Like Viruses in apples in Brazil.

Apple chlorotic leaf spot virus (ACLSV), apple stem grooving virus (ASGV), and apple stem pitting virus (ASPV) cause significant losses to Brazilian (BR) apple production. Looking beyond these latent viruses, high-throughput sequencing (HTS) of three samples (Vacaria, Brazil) was performed on an Illumina HiSeq X Ten platform (USA), cv. Braeburn (BB), and a BGISEQ-500 platform (China), cvs. Royal Gala (RG) and Mishima (MI)

Complete genomic sequence of Raphanus sativus cryptic virus 4 (RsCV4), a novel alphapartitivirus from radish

The present work reports the discovery and complete genome sequencing of a virus from symptomless radish seedlings, classifiable as a novel member of the genus Alphapartitivirus, family Partitiviridae. Total RNA extracted from germinating seedlings was sequenced using Illumina technology. Bioinformatic analysis of the RNA-seq data revealed two contigs representing the near full-length genomic sequences of two genomic RNAs representing a new virus. Analysis of the genome sequence (excluding the polyA tail, RNA1: 1976 nt and RNA2: 1751 nt, respectively) showed a genomic organization typical of viruses classed within the Partitiviridae, with each genomic RNA encoding a single open reading frame (ORF). Phylogenetic analysis of the RNA dependent RNA polymerase (RNA1 ORF) and of the capsid protein (RNA2 ORF) clearly showed the new virus can be classified within the genus Alphapartitivirus, but sequence divergence establishes it as a new species, for which the name “Raphanus sativus cryptic virus 4” is proposed

First report on occurrence of apple hammerhead viroid in apples in Brazil.

Latent viruses have historically caused heavy losses to apple production in Brazil. Other uncharacterized agents of virus or virus-like nature and viroids also cause damages to the apple industry

Statement on a study proposal prepared by the UC to support a future derogation request from the EU import requirements for wood packaging material originating in the US and used to pack and transport military ammunition. Scientific Opinion.

Following a request from the European Commission, the EFSA Panel on Plant Health was asked to deliver a statement on a study proposal prepared by the US to support a future derogation request from the Community import requirements for wood packaging material (WPM) originating in the US and used to pack and transport military ammunition. The Panel reviewed the submitted study proposal and based its conclusions on the shortcomings identified in the study proposal. It was concluded that, due to these shortcomings, the evaluation of the methodological approach described in this study proposal with regard to: 1.the determination of the likelihood that live pinewood nematode (Bursaphelenchus xylophilus) and other harmful organisms relevant for the Community are present in the WPM used by the US Department of Defense to pack and transport military ammunition (Pest survey component), 2. the assessment of the likelihood that harmful organisms may be introduced into the Community through the WPM pathway (Pathway Risk Analysis component) cannot be conducted

Statement on the dossier for a derogation request for the US authorities concerning cold-treated strawberry plants intended for planting.

Following a request from the European Commission, the EFSA Panel on Plant Health examined the report “Evaluation of Strawberry Nursery Plant Cold Treatments on Survival of the Whitefly, Bemisia tabaci”, submitted to the European Commission by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). The report serves as technical justification for a derogation from requirements listed in Annex IV, Part A, Section 1, point 46 of the Council Directive 2000/29/EC. The Panel concluded that due to shortcomings in the report itself and in the experimental design of the study, this report does not demonstrate the effectiveness of the cold treatment proposed for the elimination of B. tabaci from strawberry plant consignments prepared for shipment to the EU. In addition, the Panel conducted a preliminary review of the available literature on viruses of strawberry and concluded that no B. tabaci‐transmitted viruses are currently known to infect strawberry and that no viruses of Fragaria listed in European Council Directive 2000/29/EC are known to be transmitted by B. tabaci. However, adult whiteflies of B. tabaci on strawberry consignments can carry plant viruses irrespective of whether strawberry is a host plant for these viruses and thus represent a pathway for the introduction of non‐European viruses. There is also some uncertainty concerning the extent to which known or unknown B. tabaci‐transmitted viruses could infect strawberry. Irrespective of the presence of B. tabaci, strawberry transplants from the US may represent a pathway for the introduction of any non‐European virus (and other potentially harmful organisms) of Fragaria

Scientific Opinion on the assessment of the risk of solanaceous pospiviroids for the EU territory and the identification and evaluation of risk management options.

Following a request from the EU Commission, the EFSA PLH Panel conducted a risk assessment for the EU territory of pospiviroids affecting solanaceous crops, identified and evaluated risk reduction options and evaluated the EU provisional emergency measures targeting Potato spindle tuber viroid (PSTVd). The risk assessment included PSTVd, Citrus exocortis viroid, Columnea latent viroid, Mexican papita viroid, Tomato apical stunt viroid, Tomato chlorotic dwarf viroid, Tomato planta macho viroid, Chrysanthemum stunt viroid and Pepper chat fruit viroid. Four entry pathways were identified, three involving plant propagation material, with moderate probability of entry, and one involving plant products for human consumption, with low probability of entry. The probability of establishment was considered very high. Spread was considered likely within a crop and moderately likely between crop species, with exception of spread to potato, rated as unlikely. The probability of long distance spread within vegetatively propagated crops was estimated as likely/very likely. The direct consequences were expected to be major in potato and tomato, moderate in pepper, minimal/minor in other vegetables and minimal in ornamentals. Main risk assessment uncertainties derive from limited knowledge on pospiviroids other than PSTVd, although all pospiviroids are expected to have similar biological properties. Management options to reduce risk of entry, spread and consequences were identified and evaluated. No management options can prevent establishment. Examples of successful PSTVd eradication are linked to timely and strict implementation of measures. Uncertainty exists on the effectiveness of risk reduction strategies targeting only one pathway. The EU provisional emergency measures appeared to have significantly reduced PSTVd incidence in Solanum jasminoides and Brugmansia sp., even though eradication from the EU is so far incomplete. The low PSTVd incidence in food crops did not permit to conclude whether the reduction in PSTVd prevalence in ornamentals led to a reduction in outbreaks in food crops

Scientific Opinion on a technical file submitted by the US Authorities to support a request to list a new opinion among the EU import requirements for wood of Agrilus planipennis host plants.

This document presents the scientific opinion of the Panel on Plant Health on the technical file submitted by the US Authorities to support a request to list a new option among the EU import requirements for wood of Agrilus planipennis host plants. The option under consideration is a heat treatment at 60 °C for 60 min to liminate possible infestations of the wood by the emerald ash borer (EAB). The experiments leading the US Authorities to propose this option are presented in a scientific peer reviewed publication, Myers et al. (2009). The analysis of the aggregated data published by Myers et al. (2009) and based on a Probit regression model showed that the proposed treatment cannot guarantee a control level of 99 % or higher. The analysis of the individual data either from the original measurements or from a corrected dataset, using a Probit regression model, showed that it is likely to observe one live EAB out of an infestation of 100 after the proposed heat treatment of 60 °C /60 min. To ensure a control level of 99 % the temperature of the heat treatment of 60 min should be higher than 70 °C. Results obtained with a Poisson log linear model based on individual data showed that the estimated probability that one insect or more per m2 survive the proposed heat treatment was higher than 0.6 and that there is a 0.1 probability that three insects or more per m2 survive the proposed heat treatment. Based on these results, the Panel concludes that A. planipennis is likely to survive the proposed heat treatment of 60 °C/60 min with a low uncertainty, and that the alternative option proposed in the technical file submitted by the US Authorities for wood does not guarantee the wood to be free of A. planipennis