Pest risk assessment made by France on Banana bract mosaic virus considered by France as harmful in French overseas departments of French Guiana, Guadeloupe, Martinique and Réunion - Scientific Opinion of the Panel on Plant Health

• Authors : EFSA Panel on Plant Health


• Document type : Journal article


• Year of publication : 2008


• Journal title : EFSA Journal


• Number : 651




• Pages : 1-23


• Peer-reviewed : Yes


• ISSN : 1831-4732


• Language(s) : English


• Abstract : Following a request from the European Commission, the Panel on Plant Health was asked to deliver a scientific opinion on 30 pest risk assessments made by France on organisms which are considered by France as harmful in four French overseas departments, i.e. French Guiana, Guadeloupe, Martinique and Réunion. In particular, the Panel was asked whether these organisms can be considered as harmful organisms for the endangered area of the above departments, in the meaning of the definition mentioned in Article 2.1.(e) of Directive 2000/29/EC and thus potentially eligible for addition to the list of harmful organisms in Directive 2000/29/EC. This document presents the opinion of the Panel on Plant Health on the full pest risk assessment conducted by France on Banana bract mosaic virus (BBrMV) with French Guiana, Guadeloupe, Martinique and Réunion considered as endangered area. Banana bract mosaic virus (BBrMV) is a recently characterised virus of the genus Potyvirus family Potyviridae (Thomas et al., 1997), which infects banana and plantain. It is an aphid transmissible virus and can cause serious losses due to yield reduction and malformation of fruits. The Panel examined in detail the risk assessment provided, and considered the accuracy and quality of the information provided and methods applied for pest risk assessment purposes. The review was based on the principles and terminology of the International Standard on Phytosanitary Measures ISPM No. 11: Pest risk analysis for quarantine pests including analysis of environmental risks and living modified organisms (2004) by the International Plant Protection Convention (FAO, 2007b). The review evaluated the accuracy and relevance of data, the information provided for pest risk assessment purposes, the quality and quantity of data considered, and the quality of methods applied to conduct the risk assessment. Following analysis of the French document and from additional information sought, the Panel established that BBrMV is a well-characterised virus, for which reliable assays, mainly based on PCR, are currently available for identification. All four aphid species, known to have the ability to transmit BBrMV, are present in the French overseas departments, providing conditions suitable for its further spread after entry. Taking into considerations these elements the Panel concludes that: · The most important potential pathway of entry for BBrMV into the French overseas departments is through the import of infected banana propagating materials (vitroplants, suckers). Minor pathways include the introduction of infected cultivars by private individuals and the import of banana fruits and leaves. · The current French regulations provide the means to ensure that the probability of entry of BBrMV is extremely low. In the absence of those regulations, the probability of entry would be higher, and has been considered by the Panel as low/medium. Although propagation material represents the main entry pathway, BBrMV is noted as currently restricted in distribution to a small number of countries in Asia and the Pacific. · There is a high probability of establishment of BBrMV in the PRA area. As plant propagation material represents the main pathway for introduction, the establishment of the virus, after planting of infected material, is assured. · There is a potential for negative economic and social consequences should BBrMV be introduced, in particular concerning Guadeloupe and Martinique where banana crops form a major part of the agricultural economy. The Panel recognises that there are some areas of uncertainty, concerning the biology of BBrMV, such as symptom expression and host range. However, these uncertainties are considered unlikely to affect the conclusions reached by the Panel. The overall conclusion of the Panel is that BBrMV poses a risk to the banana crops of the four overseas departments and thus qualifies for risk management measures. BBrMV is therefore considered potentially eligible for addition to the list of harmful organisms under Directive 2000/29/EC.


• Keywords : BANANA BRACT MOSAIC VIRUS; POTYVIRUSES; FRANCE; GUADELOUPE; MARTINIQUE; FRENCH GUIANA; REUNION; PEST RISK ANALYSIS


• Open access : Yes


• Document on publisher's site : View article on publisher's site


• Musalit document ID : IN150010

If you want to link this record, use this url : www.musalit.org/seeMore.php?id=15408